Lecture 2: Fujihara Yutaka
I think the balance is by far the best in the history of denim jackets.
What was Mr. Fujiwara's first third type and what was his impression of it?
Fujiwara:The very first denim jacket I ever got was the "70505 E". I was in my first year of high school. I saved up some money by cutting back on my lunch money and asked a local (Kochi) vintage clothing store to hold it for me for about a month. I have already given up that model, but I always want to have one of those clothes on hand. I think that in the long history of Levi's®, there were good reasons and popularity behind the continuous production for many years as a long seller, and I think that the good balance is the best of all.
Fujihara's Pick up_01
557 XX (DEAD STOCK)
Fujiwara:My first is a dead stock "557 XX". This one is too special for me, and I still can't put my sleeves on it (laughs). I still can't put my sleeves on it because it's too special for me.
section (of an orange, etc.)Well, if it's dead stock, I'd certainly be hesitant.
Fujiwara:. yes, I know. . although I would like to hold on to the XXs that are about a one-wash. However, the three pieces I brought today have "D" engraved on the backs of all the buttons. Besides "D," there are "A" and "O," and I believe the "557 E" that Mr. Chestnut brought is "O" (see the next page), but the least number is "A." What does this engraving mean? What this engraving means is still in the research stage, but we think it probably refers to the production plant, and that in the second period, there was a "17" engraving, which was shifted to "D" as it was.
section (of an orange, etc.)Heh . Is there any other way to identify them?
Fujiwara:In the XX era, most of the flap pockets were made of light-weight denim on the back side, and by the time the transition to "557 E" was made, it was common to use co-woven fabric (made of the same ounce material as the body). However, this specification is also different, and it is difficult to say that just because it does not use light-ounce denim, it is not an XX in general.
chestnut fieldDoes that also have something to do with the engraving on the back of the button?
Fujiwara:Statistically, I think it is fair to say so.
the recently departed (and buried or cremated, etc.)For example, if it was an "O" factory, does that mean that XX has an individual with co-woven fabric?
Fujiwara:That's what I mean. . that "D" is common and that special individuals often come from "O" and "A."
the recently departed (and buried or cremated, etc.)From what I've heard, there are some "507s" (second type) that don't have rivets on the sleeves and don't have the XX notation on the tag, right?
Fujiwara:Yes, there is. . it seems to be made in a certain factory, as far as I know.
section (of an orange, etc.)But why do the older pieces have light ounce pocket linings? Is it because sewing technology has advanced to the point where even co-woven fabric can be sewn?
the recently departed (and buried or cremated, etc.). I think they probably improved the co-woven fabric to account for shrinkage after washing. If the thickness of the materials are different, even if they are cut out in the same dimension, they will inevitably deform when washed because of the different shrinkage rate.
chestnut fieldAnd like leather patches, I think the proliferation of dryers has a lot to do with it.
section (of an orange, etc.)I see.
Fujihara's Pick up_02
558 XX
Fujiwara:The second is the "558 XX" in Gala . It is a long model of the so-called "557 XX". Of the three pieces I brought today, it has the lowest ball count, but its popularity is strong because of its long length and ease of matching with recent styles. It used to be said that the probability was about 1 in 10 pieces, but in the current experience, it honestly only appears at the level of 1 in 30 pieces. The only regret is that the longer the length of the dress, the longer the sleeve length.
the recently departed (and buried or cremated, etc.)I was told by a friend of mine at a store I used to know, that many of the "558s" have custom shortened sleeves for vintage clothing.
chestnut fieldIt is true that we don't see many first and second pieces with the sleeves repaired, but we do see quite a few third pieces with the sleeves repaired, including the "70505".
Fujiwara:Nowadays, people tend to wear their clothes oversized, but back then, the basic rule was to wear just the right size, and the slimmer the body was, the sharper the arms would have been.
section (of an orange, etc.)Price-wise, the long one is still more expensive, right?
Fujiwara:Yes, that's right. If the three pieces I brought today were all dead stock with flashers of the same age, the current market price for "558" would be over 300,000 yen, followed by "557" at over 250,000 yen, and "559" at just under 200,000 yen.
section (of an orange, etc.)I guess it's not so popular with blankets after all.
Fujihara's Pick up_03
559 XX
Fujiwara:Now, in this vein, the third item. This is the "559 XX" with blanket lining. It is certainly not as popular as the one without the blanket by far, and the price difference is still huge for the darker colors, but also for the lighter ones.
chestnut fieldIf there is a difference on the outside with or without the blanket like other brands, but isn't the outside exactly the same as "557"? . If that's the case, I don't blame you for thinking that "557" is better.
the recently departed (and buried or cremated, etc.)And in terms of size, I would say that the blanketed one seems slightly smaller. Perhaps it's just the outside dimensions or the body of the "557" with the blanket as it is.
chestnut fieldCertainly, I would never do that kind of work now. I would have to fit it tightly to the inside dimensions and put a blanket on it.
the recently departed (and buried or cremated, etc.). However, if we consider only color fading, the blanketed type is actually better for fading.
Fujiwara:Yes . I think that the beehives (a common name for color fading that emerges in a beehive-like pattern), especially around the elbows, tend to show up nicely.
section (of an orange, etc.)Personally, I'm not a big fan of hachinos (laughs).
the recently departed (and buried or cremated, etc.). I agree with Abe (laughs). I can sort of understand the mustache on the jeans, but I don't think the beehive on the jacket is as attractive as the pants (laughs).
Fujiwara:Well, but when it is hung in the store, it looks totally different just by having the beehive, and I think it is one of the details that attracts denim lovers.
the recently departed (and buried or cremated, etc.)With jeans, there are many things to look at besides the color fading, such as the whiskers or the bite on the hip pockets, but with jackets, there is not much to look at besides the color fading, it is true.
section (of an orange, etc.)By the way, what kind of jacket did Yu-kun wear today? Is it a self-customized one?
Fujiwara:Ah, this is a self-custom. Basically, I don't customize products out of respect for the products themselves, but this one had already been fixed when I got it, so I decided to customize it without a collar anyway.
section (of an orange, etc.)Based on "70505"?
the recently departed (and buried or cremated, etc.)How much did the labor cost?
Fujiwara:The base itself, which I actually got for a very reasonable 3,000 yen, cost me 15,000 yen in labor (laughs).
all of us(Laughter)
the recently departed (and buried or cremated, etc.)It was good up to $3,000 (laughs).