FEATURE | TIE UP

Translated By DeepL

Two stylists breathe life into this maison special setup.
How to make your style with MAISON SPECIAL

Two stylists breathe life into this maison special setup.

MAISON SPECIAL is an up-and-coming brand that launched in Spring/Summer 2007. The brand's creations, which combine flexible design with high functionality, are already attracting attention from the street. The autumn/winter collection launched by this label features a variety of set-ups. The collection will feature a wide range of items, including those made from top-class fabrics such as Loro Piana and Rimonta. For this issue, we invited Shun Katagai and Nobuyuki Ida, both stylists active in magazines and advertisements, to talk about the appeal of the collection and suggest three coordinated outfits using "Maison Special" set-ups as the subject matter.

  • Photo_Hiroyuki Takashima
  • Edit_Shun Koda

PROFILE

Shun Katagai
stylist

Born in 1982 in Aichi Prefecture. After working as a stylist's assistant, he became independent in 2009. He is a popular stylist whose main field of work is men's fashion magazines, but he is also active in catalogs and advertisements.

Style 01 I'll take a stiff double jacket.
Rough cooking.

Jacket:ESWOOL TROPICAL DOUBLE JACKET ¥17,000+tax, Pants:ESWOOL TROPICAL TAPERED SLACKS ¥11,800+TAX, T-Shirts: MXP, Shoes: J.M. WESTON, Eyewear: Elder_ARAOKAGANKYO

Do you usually wear a set-up?

I don't wear them very often. I usually choose clothes that are easy to move in, and I had an image of set-ups being stiff or hard to move in. But this one is quite easy to move in. When I put the sleeves on, I felt that it was comfortable and roomy, and that it was made down to the smallest detail. Moreover, the high quality and this affordable price is foul (laughs).

How were the other lineups?

There were not only high-quality materials such as Loro Piana and Rimonta, but also a wide variety of silhouettes, including single, double, and collarless styles. It was very difficult to choose from such a large number of items.

What are some of the key points of the outfit?

Simple items such as a white T and leather shoes are paired to complement the setup. The double jacket has a classic look, so I played around with the length. Double jackets are difficult to wear, but because of their good silhouette, I feel they fit in easily even when put together as simply as this.

Style 02 Simple navy is
Spice it up with accessories.

Jacket:TRIXION WOOL LIKE OVER SIZE JACKET ¥17,000+tax, Pants:TRIXION WOOL LIKE TAPERED PANTS ¥11,800+tax, Knit:EMIL COTONI SUVIN COTTON MOCK NECK KNIT ¥10,800+TAX, BAG:DEERSKIN COINPURSE ¥9,800+TAX, Cap: Supreme, Shoes: DRIES VAN NOTEN

What did you pay attention to when styling the hair?

The navy set-up looks like a suit, so it is disguised with a cap and neck pouch. However, to avoid looking sloppy, leather shoes are worn on the feet for a hard look.

Do you have any styling rules?

They must be simple and clean. Personally, I have never worn a style of pants that drags at the hem, and I only wear thin pants that are just the right length or cropped. I don't think I've ever worn wide pants either. The pants from "Maison Special" have excellent elasticity, even the slim ones, so I could wear them without any stress.

Style 03 Wear it like a shirt
Beige setup.

Jacket:SOLOTEX RAGLAN TAILOR JACKET ¥12,800+tax, Pants:SOLOTEX TAPERED SLACKS ¥7,800+tax, Shirts:FAbRICA STRIPE BAND COLOR LONG SHIRTS ¥14,800+TAX, Shoes: VANS, Cap: Supreme

It's a change from the dark-toned setup, and it's a beige setup. What was the reason for your choice?

I was attracted to the color, I like beige. Compared to black or navy, beige gives a casual impression, so I paired it with an elegant collarless shirt. Still, I didn't want to create a stiff atmosphere, so I incorporated a cap and sneakers. The lightweight fabric allows me to wear it casually.

It is the most street style of all the items in this collection. Although it is a set-up, it looks like it could also be used for skateboarding and other sports activities.

Personally, I would be happy to go to a baseball game with it. I'm in a victory-wish kind of mood with the set-up all put together tightly. This set-up also has excellent elasticity, so even active movement is no problem at all. Personally, I find it helpful that the pants have an elastic waist.

INFORMATION

MAISON SPECIAL Aoyama Store

Address: 5-4-441 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-6451-1660
Hours: 11:30 - 20:00

MAISON SPECIAL MEN Shinjuku

Address: Shinjuku Lumine 2 5F, 3-38-2 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-6304-5022
Hours: 11:00 - 21:30

MAISON SPECIAL OFFICIAL

www.maisonspecial.co.jp