Kojima's craftsmanship and the future of "Magic Number".
The denim of "Magic Number" is made with the utmost attention to detail. The denim craftsmen of Kojima are the reason why we were able to realize this request.
The sewing was done at a factory that receives numerous commissions from import brands. Veteran sewing operators silently sew thick denim fabrics with their cultivated skills and old, rare sewing machines. The winding sewing machine is especially old and has been in use for 30 years. It is not often to see this sewing machine in other regions.
The sewing process can now be done automatically. However, Mr. Umezu, who has been watching Kojima denim for years, says, "The bite created by continuous wear is the real thing. It blends with the color fading of the fabric and grows into a unique and expressive piece of clothing. The color fades in harmony with the fabric, and it grows up to be your own unique piece. The subtle errors that appear only because the denim is made by hand give it a unique texture that is loved by the experts.
The washing and dyeing processes, which have been tested many times, are handled by a well-established factory that handles hundreds of thousands of items per year. The factory is equipped with several huge kettles that can wash 200 pieces of cut and sewn clothing at once, and is in full operation at all hours of the day. Wet clothes are heavy anyway, so the work is more strenuous than one might imagine.
As with sewing, denim products can and are being made in Asian countries. However, when it comes to creating a vintage look and feel, it is necessary to have insight and good taste. This is difficult in countries that do not have a vintage clothing culture.
On the other hand, because Kojima's factories are frequented by clothing enthusiasts, they have a subtle sense of vintage texture in waiting, which allows them to express the look and feel as if they have been worn for many years.
As can be seen from these facts, denim made in Kojima is mostly handcrafted, and the process has a warmth to it. It can also be described as a craft.
Making denim in Kojima is not an easy task. It is extremely difficult to find good fabrics and to find a suitable factory if you visit Kojima without any kind of contacts. Mr. Umezu's experience working for an OEM manufacturer headquartered in Kojima is the reason why "Magic Number" is able to make denim with such a high level of attention to detail.
Finally, Mr. Umezu told us about the brand's destination.
I would like to create a brand that even children in their teens and twenties would be tempted to grow up and buy. I also want to make clothes that can be worn for a long time, and that look good even after they have become second-hand. I want to sew and process clothes in such a way that they can be worn again two or three years after purchase, when the mood strikes again. What "Magic Number" is aiming for from now on is to become a kind of Japanese version of "Stussy. Sean Stussy was a shaper, and he used his background to design clothes. On the other hand, there are infinitely few fashion brands in Japan that have surfing in their background. In the future, I would be happy if we can grow into a brand that can communicate both domestically and internationally through an original filter based on our backbone.
Established in 2008. The fabrics are soft to the touch as if they were wrapped around you, the cuts are stress-free, and the fittings are relaxing. Based on the brand philosophy filtered through the "Magic Number" brand, the brand continues to transmit the charm that only "Magic Number" can bring out.
