An uncompromising eye on products

His design work also has a unique and interesting style. "When I come up with an idea, I immediately write it down. Sometimes I even write it on restaurant paper napkins. But I don't draw illustrations. That's because I can't get a sense of scale. For bag designs, I use cardboard, cut it to actual size with scissors, and staple it together to make a dummy." Apparently, during his trip to Africa, he once cut up a bedsheet to make a dummy because he didn't have any cardboard. He also shared this story: "Set your sights high and create dummies and prototypes without worrying about how much it will cost to commercialize them. I'm convinced that if you make the best possible product, there will always be customers who buy it."

In fact, Bob is undoubtedly a perfectionist. Dissatisfied with existing things, he made improvements to make them more usable since childhood, and he never failed to devise his own improvements for cars and outdoor equipment to make his adventurous trips more comfortable. When he created new equipment, he even manualized its usage for his teammates. At that time, Bob's camp was known as the most comfortable and efficient survey team in Africa, and orders for such equipment poured in from friends and acquaintances, which later gave birth to the brand Hunting World.

This attitude is unwavering even towards his own products. For example, in product development, he pursues quality without making unnecessary compromises, and is so thorough that when prototypes are sent from the factory, he says, "Usually the first one is rejected. Well, it probably gets approved around the fifth time (laughs)." Moreover, it is his custom to personally field-test not only these prototypes but also products after they are released, and if there are any shortcomings, he repeatedly makes improvements and refines the completeness until he is satisfied. In addition, Bob says, "Hunting World is propelled forward by its customers. I especially value the opinions of heavy users." In addition to trial tests, the company has incorporated such customer feedback and continuously worked on product development and improvement.

The top left photo shows one of Bob's favorite items. While Bob personally trial-tests almost all of his company's products, he says he "particularly likes" this bag. The top right photo shows the "Explorer Bag #6045," which was the predecessor of the current "Battu Surpass Carryall" and once a symbol of the brand. Of course, he also designed this.

It may be that Hunting World has been universally praised for its high quality and reliability around the world due to Bob Lee's uncompromising spirit of challenge, constantly striving for "the best" without ever resting on his laurels.

What this reveals is that this jacket combines the athletic performance that doesn't impede movement during hunting with the fashionability that meets dress codes, and moreover, both aspects possess continuous organizational integrity. In other words, functionality and sociality are integrated without breakdown or contradiction, and through this, we can glimpse what designer Bob Lee calls "organizationally correct."

Bob Lee and Hunting World's stance is not to be a luxury brand, but rather to be a top-tier outdoor brand. Even in their directly managed stores, excessive and pretentious displays are prohibited. Unlike European luxury brands established on long traditions and culture, they don't demand a code of conduct from their customers. Instead, they are a brand that develops items deeply connected to daily life—items that are simply extremely durable, thoroughly easy to use, and possess both simplicity and elegance. At the same time, each product carries the message, "We want people to reconnect with nature." And in fact, this is the unwavering wish of Bob Lee, a true outdoorsman.