Founded in 2001 upon their graduation from the Tohoku University of Art and Design, F/Style is a design team and showroom created by Emi Igarashi and Wakana Hoshino. Located in the Niigata city of Japan, F/Style’s vision is to produce remarkable but simple household items. The showroom accepts visitors twice a week, where each can relax and enjoy looking at each product, carefully made by a range of craftspeople and from different regions.
The "F" in F/Style stands for the pencil grade F; in Japan and many other countries in the world, pencils are graded hard, fine, or black. To Igarashi and Hoshino, F is the perfect balance and therefore serves as a resonant concept for their brand. This feeling of "just right" can be sensed in all of their products.
The team takes charge of the entire process that begins with design proposal and carries through to development of marketing channels. They connect the “now” with traditional industries of Yamagata and Niigata Prefectures, and deliver their products to consumers who will use them. They therefore serve as a connecting link between those who make, sell, and buy products.
Among the books they have authored is Efu-sutairu no Shigoto (“The Work of F/style”), published by Anonima Studio.