ThirdRail NYC was founded in July 2022.
In 2014, designer and founder, Yuya, moved from Japan to New York. Drawing on inspiration from the sub-cultures of New York that impacted him at that time (skater, hip-hop, hipster etc.), he is striving to spread his own conceptualization of these cultures through his Third Rail NYC designs.
-The Origin of Third Rail NYC-
Third Rail NYC was born out of an analogy where one likens one’s core passion or profession (in Yuya’s case, hair design) to a train. For this train to run at all it is essential that its tracks have two rails.
But with these two rails alone, the train cannot run. The NY Subway actually works using something called a “third rail.” This third rail exists as an electricity supply from which the train receives energy to propell itself forward. In Japan, where Yuya was born and raised, there are sayings like “You can’t wear two pairs of sandals” and “Those who chase two hares won’t even catch one” encouraging a culture where sticking to a single focus is preferred over having multiple pursuits. But Yuya saw how New Yorkers seem to have interests completely different to their profession and receive ideas and inspiration from these interests, converting them into energy to propell them forward. Meeting such driven, passionate people made a big impression on him.
And so, while Yuya is working hard as a hair stylist, he is drawing motivation and energy from producing his own clothing designs which he is so passionate about. On top of that, he hopes that those who purchase his brand would also be able to receive some of this energy for themselves in sustenance of their daily lives.