對上一次《BRUTUS》推出「日用品」的編集，已經是2015年的事情，如今五年過後，翻看這本「生活品」編集時仍不覺過時，到底是潮流已經默默走過一圈，退流行的也已經復流行，還是說要佩服這群編輯們的功力，總能挑出不易過時，甚或能是被後世歌頌為經典的單品？我比較傾向後面的說法，所以今年《BRUTUS》推出2020年度版本「日用品」編集，我也毫不囉唆，乖乖掏錢。
The last time BRUTUS published a Daily Necessities edit was back in 2015. Five years later, this edit still looks up-to-date. Could it be the editors’ keen eye in selecting classic items? Have trends gone through a full cycle already? Or could we be going through a retro trend? I think it is the editors’ talent, that’s why I immediately got a copy when BRUTUS published the 2020 Daily Necessities edit.
來自日本的經典時尚雜誌《BRUTUS》，除恆常的雜誌報道內容，還會把內容結集，不定期地推出各種特別編集，像是「珍奇植物」，「家居空間」，「收納術」和「照明術」等主題，都曾各自結集成專門編集出版，受到日本國內外讀者的捧場。
在剛剛的十二月，《BRUTUS》繼2015年後再度以「日用品」結成特別編集，令人期待五年前後，編輯們乃至日本的時尚圈，對於「日用品」又有何嶄新的觀看角度。而當真翻開雜誌後，內容果真沒令人失望，而且頗能反映這個年代的質感。譬如是訪問了設計事務所DAIKEI MILLS的中村圭祐，其在日本推行塑膠袋徵費前，就已經積極使用環保購物袋，家裡甚至收藏了近兩百個環保購物袋；另外又報道了在疫情帶動下，網店上銷情最好的各類日用品；以介紹商品為名目，倒也反映出年代的輪廓，人們所關注與被困擾的事情。
Apart from the usual lifestyle content, Japanese lifestyle magazine classic BRUTUS publishes special edits from time to time. From Rare Botanicals, Home Interiors, The Art of Storage to The Art of Lighting, these edits are all specially curated edits by the magazine, and well-liked among readers in Japan and internationally.
BRUTUS published another Daily Necessities edit in December, this is the second edit since the one from 2015. The fashion community has been looking forward to the editors’ new point of views and to see how they have changed over these five years. Once you flick through the magazine, the content will capture you with a modern take on today’s world. There is an interview with Keisuke Nakamura, a director of Tokyo based design studio DAIKEI MILLS, who actively used eco-friendly shopping bags long before Japan introduced the plastic bag levy scheme, and even collected around 200 shopping bags. Another article introduced the best selling daily necessities online due to the pandemic. On one hand introducing products, yet also reflecting how times have changed and the topics that concern most people.
當然地《BRUTUS》還是一本時尚雜誌，除上面提到的內容，還是有許多時尚生活的內容，譬如訪問當前最受歡迎的民藝創作者，例如陶藝家阿部慎太朗，以及竹細工作家中山秀斗等；長尾智子探訪美國玻璃藝術家Peter Ivy的專題內容；還有在恆常欄目「人間關係」中，請來了女星松本真理香與其祖母一起登場。作為一本內容充實的讀物，我自然是推薦購買回家閱讀，而更難得是發生在這紛亂時代的2020年編集，似乎更多了一分購買的理由。
The publication also covered fashion lifestyle content, after all BRUTUS is a fashion magazine. They interviewed various popular folk artists such as ceramist Shintaro Abe, and bamboo crafter Nakayama Hideto. Another interview was done by Tomoko Nagao, who visited Peter Ivy, a glasswork artist based in the United States. For their regular column Human Connections, they had celebrity Marika Matsumoto and her grandmother making an appearance. I highly recommend getting a copy, not just because of the enriching content, but also as a memorabilia of these unprecedented times in 2020.
