SPECIAL FEATURE

Reporter:
First of all, congratulations on achieving 2000 JRA wins! And how did the idea for the "2000V JAPAN" T-shirt come about?

Lemaire:
To mark the milestone of my 2,000th win in Japan, I wanted to create something symbolic, something that was personal to me, and something that would send a message to my Japanese fans.
Since winning my first G1 race in 2005, I have always been supported by the warm, sincere and overwhelming support of Japanese fans.

That's why I wanted to create something special, meaningful and well thought out.
And the first person that came to mind was YSY, a long-time friend of mine who created my Y-CON character 10 years ago.

YSY:
I am the creator of "Y-CON", a character with a band covering his eyes. For over 10 years, I have been expressing the personalities of various athletes through this character.

I've collaborated with Novak Djokovic and other French Olympians, so I was very happy to be asked by Christophe. Also, Japan is a very special country to me.

Reporter:
This T-shirt is full of symbolism. How did you come together to design it?

YSY:
Our goal was to fuse two worlds: art and horse racing, France and Japan.

The character in the center is Y-CON, based on crack jockey Lemaire, and is wearing the red-dot racing uniform that he wore for his 2,000th win (Silk Racing on Energico).
Details of the race are written in stamp style on the upper left.
The background design includes elements inspired by the JRA's celebration ceremony, a panel marking the 2,000th win, while two symbolic horses surrounds Christophe.
In addition, the word "STRATEGE" (strategist) on the blindfold band was decided by a fan vote on netkeiba.

Lemaire:
It's a really wonderful design. It even reflects the numbers of my career (53 G1 wins, 5 MVJs), and it's not just visual, every element has meaning. I was really moved.

Reporter:
It seems like a lot of attention was paid to the manufacturing process as well?

Lemaire:
Yes, like all CL by C. LEMAIRE collections, this T-shirt is made in Japan by experienced craftsmen.
I have worn the sample myself and it is extremely comfortable, with no stretching or deformation of the fabric.
The silkscreen printing is also fantastic, a huge thank you to the production team.

YSY:
I wanted it to be a wearable piece of art, so I didn't compromise on quality.

Reporter:
What message do you want to convey to people who buy this T-shirt?

YSY:
This is not just a commemorative T-shirt. It is a bridge that connects culture and culture, art and sports, Japan and France.

I myself have been deeply influenced by Japanese culture: I speak Japanese, I have lived in Tokyo, and I have had exhibitions there.

Lemaire:
By wearing this T-shirt, we hope you will feel connected to the moment of 2,000 wins.
I would be happy if more people would become interested in the world of horse racing.
The design is strong and eye-catching, which is also our brand philosophy.
I want to promote horse racing through the beauty of emotion and art.

※This blog is a special edition that summarizes interviews with French media. Thank you to Mr. Fujii for letting me use the blog!