Serialized 【, What's the NEW VINTAGE? Vol.119 "Some kind of strange shirt I've seen before. Yes, I am Chico's Design.

In the 1990s, the term "vintage" was used to describe vintage clothing that did not meet the definition of "antique," but still had value, as opposed to "antique" clothing that was 100 years old. Nowadays, there is a movement to find new value in "new vintage," even in old clothes from the 1980s onward, which used to be called "regular" vintage clothes. In this project, four vintage clothing stores with different styles propose new ways to enjoy vintage clothing. Each of them will talk about the charm of vintage clothing with their own sense of style.

This series is now in its 15th season! The 119th issue is the second round of Tatsuya Kawasaki of "atsurae vintage" in Sangenjaya. What new vintages will he introduce to us?

Text_Tommy
Edit_Yosuke Ishii

Tatsuya Kawasaki / Owner, atsurae vintage
Vol.119_Chinese jackets, patchwork shirts and collarless jackets by Chico's Design

Now, what new vintages will you introduce in this second round?

In the last issue, I mentioned that we ("Atsurae Vintage") have four themes: "ethnic," "traditional," "authentic," and "mode, I mentioned that we ("Atsurae Vintage") purchase items under four themes: "Ethnic," "Traditional," "Authentic," and "Mode. This time, we would like to introduce a shirt from "CHICO'S DESIGN" as one of the "ethnic" items.

Ahhh, I think I recognize this tag somehow.

The American brand was founded in 1983. The founders are a married couple who were regulars during the first vintage boom in the 1990s, so I thought it would be a perfect fit for this project. Originally, it was a small store that dealt in folk art-like Mexican goods, and later started designing, producing, and selling clothes, mainly women's wear. According to what I found on the Internet (laughs).

Wow. Is the brand still in existence?

The tags are still available, but the ones from those days and the ones from recent years have a completely different atmosphere. Check out the recent lineup on the official website. Checking the latest lineup on the official website, there are some garish patterns, but overall the line is a bit more relaxed, giving the impression that it is for young ladies.

It's true that the official website gives it a ZARA-like feel. It is somewhat surprising, given the image of unique colors and patterns that can be found in secondhand clothing.

Up until the early 90s, the oriental, ethnic, and folkloric flair was prominent, perhaps due in part to its roots. In fact, the use of flashy colors, patterned textiles, elaborate use of different materials, and switching between different styles were all very much in vogue. In fact, you can find many models that use a lot of flashy colors, textiles with patterns that make you wonder what they are, elaborate use of different materials, and switching between different materials. Let us show you some of our current recommendations. Let's start with China jackets.

Linen China Jacket by Chico's Design ¥19,800(Atsurae Vintage)

And what's more, the bamboo forest pattern is very oriental.

The expressive linen fabric is accented with a Chinese toggle, ink painting-style bamboo, and what appears to be Chinese characters. Even though it is a women's item, the size is large enough to be worn by both men and women. The fact that many of the textiles have this kind of feel to them can be said to be a unique feature of "Chico's Design.

The switching is also very aggressive here.

Patchwork shirt by Chico's Design ¥14,300(Atsurae Vintage)

And yet the material is silk. It looks like it would be difficult to wash, or perhaps even rejected by dry cleaners because of the hassle involved. Well, it can be said that it is so elaborately made.

The third item is a little different.

Linen jacket by Chico's Design ¥18,700(Atsurae Vintage)

This no-collar shirt jacket is made of linen with an embroidered kasuri-like pattern, giving it a "Japanese" feel. The colors are the most suitable for daily use among these jackets. However, I feel that most of the people who respond to this item at our company are not ordinary workers, but rather creators, and I think that this is a favorite of the general public.

There is a genre of so-called "design vintage clothing," which differs from the context of "American casual" and the like, and in which value is found in design, even if the brand is unknown. Can this be categorized as such?

I think this is true from the viewpoint of "finding value in design. In the case of "Chico's Design," although the encounter rate with the same design is low, the brand as a whole can still be found, so it seems that there are a surprisingly large number of collectors. I have the impression that the brand really catches the attention of a certain segment of the population (laughs).

Are there items in other genres as well?

There are also bottoms, such as the Y2K-like "jeans that rappers used to wear" made in the late 90s and 00s that today's younger generation seems to like. On the other hand, there are no classic pants such as chinos or trousers. This is probably because it is a women's brand.

In this series, we have been asking you about the "conditions for a new vintage item," and you have often mentioned the name value of the brand itself, the number of items produced, and the reproducibility of the items.

In the case of "Chico's Design," I believe that the high quality of the clothes more than makes up for the lack of quality. And yet, the market price is reasonable, so it is easy to afford, and there is the pleasure of digging for your own unique piece of clothing. Another key point is that because it is women's wear, there are still very few men paying attention to it, so there is no need to worry about wearing it the same way. Ethnic" taste is also attracting attention among high-end brands, and I think the timing is good.

Please give me some tips on how to incorporate this into my styling.

Basically, it is a mix of opposing tastes. It is good to wear with authentic cargo pants, or with mode pants with lines, etc. It is a spice that creates an exquisite sense of discomfort in styling with any taste. Once you get hooked on them, you will want to buy them one after another. I think it is such an item. It has long been said that true fashion lovers are addicted to women's items, and I encourage you to give them a try.

Tatsuya Kawasaki / Owner, atsurae vintage
On October 8, 2021, he opened "atsurae vintage" on the second floor of a building along Chazawa-dori in Sangenjaya, a district crowded with vintage clothing stores, under his own ownership after a 14-year career at "UNITED ARROWS. Both men's and women's clothing, from vintage to good regular, are selected with a unique aesthetic eye and lined up with items rich in individuality.
Instagram:@atsurae_vintage