By 
ON A RAINY DAY in Sydney, Clark Kent Koga is wearing a gingham skirt. The pavement is wet, but he still manages to get a few twirls in, throwing the hem up in the air, delighted in its volume. For Koga, part of the joy of getting dressed is playing with silhouette and how a piece of clothing moves. “Dress as if it were your ghost outfit or something,” he says. That’s one way of thinking about personal style.
As comfortable he is in front of a camera, Koga’s day-to-day is behind the scenes as a brand strategist. Born in Manila, Koga got his start at Google as a product strategist in Singapore, and later on transplanting to the Sydney office. But it was while taking a sabbatical, coinciding with the pandemic, that Koga started department, his one-man consultancy firm, to help some of Australia’s freshest brands establish their digital presence. Fast forward to the present, Koga counts Song For The Mute, Emma Mulholland On Holiday, and Studio Henry Wilson as clients, where the focus now is carving out an international strategy – a challenge Koga seems especially suited for.
Other than the skirt, made by Manila-based Ched Studio, Koga keeps a selection of other international, cerebral brands, his favourites among them being Comme des Garçons, Dries Van Noten and Simone Rocha. It’s a taste for clothing that reflects his international upbringing, an eye for style formed over many school holidays spent in Japan. These days, settled in Sydney for nearly a decade, Koga works mostly from home, and can often be seen around the city at art shows, or on dates with his wife, who is a designer and creative director.
Recently, we caught up with the brand strategist as he takes us through five fits he wears when WFH or out on the town, dropping his recommendation of brick-and-mortar stores in Sydney, and his favourite Filipino designers that you should have on your radar.
Fit One
Esquire: Let’s start from the beginning, where did you grow up?
Manila, in the middle of traffic.
And where do you call home now?
I moved to Sydney for work without ever having visited and didn’t really intend to stay longer than a couple years. I’ve lived here almost a decade now and I love it.
What’s your first fashion memory?
I’m half Japanese and used to spend school breaks in Tokyo. I remember seeing two men, slightly built but otherwise masculine, walking around Omotesando in full length slip dresses. They had T-shirts underneath and combat boots to balance out. This was the early aughts, so their manner of dress was transgressive as. I got my mum to buy me a dress that day.
Just kidding. Those men did inspire me to try things. Dressing in Tokyo is freeing – you can literally put the weirdest garments on and still blend in.
Fit Two
What are your style influences, if any?
I grew up in the street style era of fashion, so my references were less about the person and more about the mindset of personal style. I also watch what’s happening in womenswear, which is far more exciting.
Talk us through how you get dressed for working from home.
I start with what’s clean and available – and what currently fits – and build from there. A lot of my clothes are in neutral colours, so everything kinda works together. I also have a good number of sets on rotation for when I don’t want to think. Even if I have nowhere to go, I’ll still put shoes on.
I’ve been playing around with black and white recently. I can’t explain but wearing all black feels like a different person.
Fit Three
What were you up to before starting department? And why did you decide to start it in the first place?
department came purely by luck – it started as a means to help out [brands] during the pandemic. With no foot traffic, businesses had to figure out their digital strategy, something I knew how to do from working at Google. All of my early work was pro bono. I had no other intention but to help during a weird and difficult time for the world, but it slowly snowballed into a real, viable business.
Why did you name your brand consultancy department? And why the lowercase-d?
I’ve obviously thought about it in some vague sense, but:
One: I wanted the name to be expansive. department primarily supports brand and marketing functions, but there could be a future project in accounting or distribution or whatever.
Two: I wanted it to be generic. It’s not meant to be memorable, because department exists only in support of. This is also why it’s lowercase – it’s not the capital-H Hero.
Three: I wanted it to be ‘internal,’ at least in its denotation. department is more an extension of the team than a third party.
Can you tell me about the brands you’ve worked with?
I’ve always been curious about retail and somehow landed in a space where I could marry the skills I learned at Google with brands that I believe in. I’m incredibly lucky to have contributed to some of Australia’s freshest brands – UP THERE, Emma Mulholland on Holiday, Song for the Mute, to name a few. A lot of my conversations this year have been about figuring out an international strategy, particularly to balance out the domestic climate.
Other exciting things: Nonna’s Grocer just launched a scented range of their candles and I cannot wait for a set of the heirloom tomatoes. Studio Henry Wilson is set to open a new showroom in the next few weeks. And later in the year, Up There Athletics is running a bunch of activations for the incoming marathon season.
How do you unwind or escape from your WFH setup for a bit?
I go on dates with my wife. I look at art – there’s a Lee Ufan show at the Art Gallery [of New South Wales] soon. Ooh, I’m excited for my first swim of the season. It’s soon, I can feel it.
Fit Four
As someone who probably has an extensive wardrobe, what do you look for when purchasing a new a piece?
Slap a pearl on it and I’m in.
Where are some of your favourite places to shop in Sydney?
Song for the Mute is the most special. Futuristic pods inside that stunning heritage building. Chinatown Country Club. Provider Store. Incu’s always a good shout for a broad selection.
What’s currently on your wishlist?
I have a bunch of vintage Comme [des Garçons] in my Ragtag cart right now. And a USM console from Anibou.
Fit Five
You’re a big fan of skirts. What was the first one you owned?
I’m not gonna lie, I only have one skirt – the others are shorts parading as skirts. I’m sorry for the subterfuge.
The one I have is by Filipino designer Ched Studio. It’s this asymmetrical panelled skirt, with traditional hand embroidery running along the hem. I wore it to a close mate’s wedding in London last year and everyone asked if it were traditional dress. It absolutely is not.
Who are your favourite Filipino designers?
Carl Jan Cruz is doing my favourite work. I live in his pambahay pieces, especially in the summer. Toqa for technical garments. Gabbie Sarenas for formalwear. Pranca for pearls. There’s a lot going on in the local scene!
See more of our favourite ‘Five Fits With’ . . .
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Five Fits With: actor and musician, Bryn Chapman Parish
Five Fits With: HoMie co-founder and creative director, Marcus Crook
