creative

thinkers’ ooo Vol. 26-30 collection

thinker launched a new project named “thinkers’ ooo” since 2020. It is a column to share thinkers’ points of view to their favorite brands, some of which are not even well-known to the public. We love the products of course, but it is the brands that we are attracted to and inspired from.

“ooo” means our perspectives, imagination and self statement. Written by the designers and planners themselves, the articles include why we love the brands, how we use the products and what we learn from the stories behind the brands. Here are the first five articles we’ve published. Enjoy!

thinkers’ ooo Vol. 26-30 collection - Image 1

Vol.26

IFUJI: Shaker Boxes Crafted with Heart, Elegant and Made to Be Used

I’ve had a soft spot for IFUJI’s Shaker boxes for years. Founded by craftsman Masashi Ifuji, the brand is known for meticulous handwork and pared-back lines. It takes the humble storage box of America’s Shaker community and reimagines it as a piece of craft that fits right into modern life.

On a recent trip to Tokyo, I finally made the pilgrimage to IFUJI BOX TAILOR, tucked away on a quiet street corner in Kuramae. Step inside and you’re greeted by the faint scent of wood, and of time. Boxes line the shelves in neat rows, in every size, color and material, and you can’t resist picking them up one by one. The shop truly lives up to its name: it feels like a tailor’s studio for boxes. You can browse a whole range of styles, woods and finishes, or have one made to your own spec. That’s exactly how I ended up hopelessly torn between options.

In the end, I went home with a round walnut Shaker Box. I love its deep, grounded tone and the finesse of its craftsmanship. It carries a kind of quiet strength. It now sits next to my coffee grinder, holding my brewing tools and filter papers. A well-made wooden box does more than bring a pleasing touch and a sense of order to everyday rituals. It also adds a little calm and warmth to the whole room.

— Ariel / Website Designer

｜Shaker Box｜

The Shaker Box traces its roots to the Shakers, a religious community in early America. They embraced simple living and saw work itself as a form of worship. They valued function and spiritual clarity in everything they made, and that ethos gave rise to craftsmanship and architecture that were elegant, durable and deeply practical.

The Shaker Box is among their most iconic pieces of woodwork. It was originally used to store seeds, sewing supplies and dry goods. Each box is made from thin bands of wood bent into an oval and secured with delicate swallowtail joints. Sizes range from palm-sized boxes to large stackable storage cases, a showcase of exceptional joinery and a fine eye for proportion. Shaker furniture, boxes, tools and buildings struck a rare balance of function and beauty, and went on to shape modern minimalism and Scandinavian design.

Vol.27

More Than Music: Finding My Turntable, Pro-Ject

To me, vinyl is more than a format for music. It’s an art form that brings sound and visuals together, and it’s quietly becoming a lifestyle of its own. Around Taipei, more and more shops and cafés are spinning records, letting music drift back into everyday spaces in its warmest form.

So, with my speakers already set up and waiting, I went looking for a turntable to call my own. That’s how I found Pro-Ject, an Austrian brand known for precision engineering and minimalist design. Its turntables are solidly built and refreshingly intuitive, with no unnecessary frills or electronic interference, just pure analog sound. That “beauty in imperfection” is exactly what I imagine sound should be.

— Ariel / Website Designer

｜Pro-Ject｜

Pro-Ject Audio Systems was founded in Austria in 1991 by audio designer Heinz Lichtenegger. At the time, CDs ruled the market, but he firmly believed that the value of analog music shouldn’t be forgotten. He set out to make high-quality turntables at a fair price, so more people could enjoy the warmth and detail of vinyl as part of daily life.

Every Pro-Ject product is made in Europe, at facilities in Austria and the Czech Republic. From the chassis and platter precision to the balance of the tonearm, each detail is held to exacting standards. The brand’s core philosophy is to reproduce music in its purest form. The design is stripped back to the essentials. Instead of layering on electronics, Pro-Ject relies on mechanical precision and material resonance to let the original sound of each record flow naturally.

For over three decades, Pro-Ject has helped drive the vinyl revival, with turntables from entry level to high end loved by music fans around the world. It’s more than audio equipment. It stands for a return to the essence of sound, and in a digital age, it keeps alive the most honest and vibrant side of music.

Vol.28

Acne Studios: The Swedish Brand That Turns Clothing into a Canvas for Creativity

Working in branding and graphic design, I’m naturally drawn to visuals and ideas that are playful and forward-thinking. When it comes to clothing, looking good isn’t enough for me. I love seeing a brand bring a truly original idea to life through its products. This time, I picked up a pair of Acne Studios jeans that have become one of the brand’s signature pieces in recent years. Using innovative digital printing, Acne Studios prints an all-over image of well-worn blue denim onto pure white fabric, creating a convincing trompe-l’oeil of genuinely distressed jeans. Even Y2K-inspired details, like wallet chains and other statement hardware, are printed right onto the jeans. That kind of witty, high-impact visual is completely my style.

— Sean / Art Director

｜Acne Studios｜

Acne Studios is a fashion house founded in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1996. It began as part of the creative collective ACNE, whose name stands for “Ambition to Create Novel Expressions.”

The brand is known for blending Scandinavian minimalism with an avant-garde artistic edge, drawing heavily on contemporary culture such as photography, art and architecture. Rather than chasing short-lived trends, Acne Studios focuses on quality tailoring, unexpected materials and timeless pieces built to last. Its signature items include denim, wool scarves, and casualwear featuring its iconic “Face” logo. Today, it’s a global fashion brand that stands for an understated, independent-minded approach to modern living.

Vol.29

LEMAIRE: Designer Clothing Made to Be Worn for Years and Lived In

In recent years, as fashion’s focus has shifted from bold streetwear toward a quieter, more refined approach to dressing, LEMAIRE caught my attention, and I picked up the brand’s ZIPPED BLOUSON. Behind its simple, understated look lies a cut with a real understanding of the body, paired with comfortable fabrics and an elegant color palette. It’s the perfect piece for everyday wear, with a touch of Old Money polish.

— Sean / Art Director

｜LEMAIRE｜

LEMAIRE is a fashion house led by Christophe Lemaire and Sarah-Linh Tran. Its collections offer thoughtfully designed clothing and accessories made for everyday life, striking a balance between form and function. The brand’s style is shaped by a cross-cultural perspective and enriched by ongoing collaborations with artists and craftspeople. Its wardrobe evolves season after season, expressed through modular silhouettes, distinctive materials, and subtle construction details that move naturally with the body.

Vol.30

An Umbrella You’ll Want to Carry Every Day and Never Lose: Komiya Shoten

Walking through Tokyo’s rain-soaked streets, having once again forgotten my umbrella, I suddenly started wondering why I dislike carrying one so much. The umbrellas I’d bought in the past were purely practical, just a way to avoid getting wet. Sometimes I’d grab one at a convenience store on the spot, without giving it a second thought. At home, my umbrellas were always propped up carelessly, every one of them crumpled and unappealing. It never occurred to me to take good care of them.

This trip, with rain nearly every day, I noticed that the best-dressed people on the street didn’t cut corners on their umbrellas either. Their umbrellas were part of the outfit. That made me realize an umbrella is more than a tool for staying dry. A well-made, thoughtfully crafted, high-quality umbrella deserves a place in your life, and deserves to be carried with a little anticipation. So that day, I stepped into Komiya Shoten, tucked down a side street near Bakuro-Yokoyama Station. Inside, I discovered just how much detail and know-how goes into a single umbrella, and how closely it’s tied to local culture and history.

— Ariel / Website Designer

｜Komiya Shoten｜

Located near Bakuro-Yokoyama Station in Tokyo, Komiya Shoten specializes in handmade, Japan-made umbrellas crafted by artisans. For nearly a century, it has quietly championed umbrella culture, and it has never been just about making a sale. The shop offers free umbrella repairs, engraves customers’ names on umbrella handles, and continues to practice and pass down traditional craftsmanship. One of its collections is known for Koshu-ori, a weaving tradition from Yamanashi Prefecture with more than 400 years of history. Pre-dyed yarns colored with spring water from Mt. Fuji bring out the beauty of this lustrous, vividly hued fabric. Komiya Shoten hopes people will stop treating umbrellas as disposable and truly make them part of their lives.

Back to insights

More we thought

brand

Does a B2B Company Need a Brand? Winning the Market When AI Makes Products No Longer Enough

“We’re a B2B business. Our clients come through sales. Do we really need brand marketing?” For many companies in technology, manufacturing, and professional services, product quality, technical capability, lead times, and pricing have always been what wins orders. Compared with investing in brand and marketing, refining the product and growing the sales team tend to show clearer, more immediate returns.