Serialized 【, What's the NEW VINTAGE?“] Vol.131 ”It's too fucked up, on the contrary, it's interesting". The zero-zero years are so bad, Abercrombie.

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.

Before we know it, this series will be in its 17th season! All the stores have been replaced, and the 131st store to appear is Ensemble, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this year in Kichijoji, Tokyo. What kind of new vintage items will the owner, Mr. Takeuchi, introduce to us?

Text_Tommy
Edit_Yosuke Ishii

Hiroaki Takeuchi / Owner, Ensemble
Vol.131_Zip Hoodie & Cargo Pants & Sweatshorts by Abercrombie & Fitch

First of all, what is your definition of "new vintage" for "Ensemble" and for you, Mr. Takeuchi?

The basic idea is to create something that is not in the mainstream of the scene at the moment, or something that is not highly regarded, but has the potential to be interesting and to be appreciated. I guess the basic idea is that there are things that are not in the mainstream of the scene at the moment or that are not appreciated, but that have the potential to be interesting and appreciated.

In other words, it is something for which the criteria for evaluation have not yet been established. Even this common question, “What is New Vintage? is a common question, but it is interesting to see the color of each store. Did you used to work at a vintage clothing store?

After graduating from high school, I moved to Tokyo from my hometown of Fukui and entered Bunka Fashion College. After graduation, I worked as a freelancer, but I had always loved vintage clothing and thought, "I want to run a vintage clothing store in the future. I thought, "I want to work in a vintage clothing store in the future, so I need to gain experience working in a vintage clothing store," and I kept applying for part-time jobs at vintage clothing stores, but I never got hired. Still, I couldn't give up and opened "Ensemble" in Kichijoji with no experience or know-how.

This January marks the 10th anniversary of the Ensemble. What are some of the “unique” characteristics of Ensemble?

When it comes to clothes, I myself like street, mode, American casual, and everything in between, so I am not bound by any one genre. This time, I would like to introduce some of the American casual items that have become my personal base. That is Abercrombie & Fitch from the 2000s.

There you go! It's true that Abercrombie and Fitch is not a well-known brand in the fashion industry today. It's rare to find a store like Ensemble that pushes the envelope so strongly.

I knew through the media that the brand was gaining popularity at an incredible rate, including the opening of its flagship store in Ginza in 2009, but I did not go to the store in real time, so I just had the sense that "something was trendy. I remember seeing stylist Yuma Yuma wearing Abercrombie camouflage pants with a DIOR HOMME Napoleon jacket in a magazine project at the time, and I thought it was interesting.

How did you come up with the idea of featuring Abercrombie and Fitch at that time?

I have a love of American casual as my base, so at first, even when it came to fading jeans, I was like, "Of course, natural aging is the best, not this kind of deliberate processing! But then, about five or six years ago, I started to think, "What? But then, about five or six years ago, I started to think, "Well, maybe there's something interesting about this....

I heard that you became interested in it by the time difference (laughs). I understand that "Ensemble" is purchased in the U.S., but how do you evaluate it as secondhand clothing there?

You can sometimes see them in thrift stores, but there is no particular evaluation for them, and they are probably just regular old clothes. The brand itself boasts a history of more than 100 years, and items from older periods are properly evaluated as vintage, but it is interesting to note that only a few clothing lovers respond to recent items.

I wonder how that happened.

By the beginning of the 00s, exaggerated designs like the ones I have mentioned appeared, and as the years went by, the style changed to “macho, casual, and luxurious,” which is what everyone had in mind. I think that by 2005-2006, this style had been completely established. However, the items themselves are made of solid fabrics and have a toughness that is typical of the U.S.A., and the unusual workmanship, which could be described as exaggeration, is interesting in its own right. In that sense, it has a lot in common with Ralph Lauren.

It is interesting to learn about the transition of products. The more I dig, the more I discover.

Abercrombie & Fitch cargo pants ¥16,280(Ensemble)

Cargo shorts are a typical item, but cargo pants are equally interesting. These, too, have a drawcord the thickness of a judo belt placed inside the waistband, and although it can be used as an accent if left untied and hanging down, I think it would definitely be inconvenient (laughs).

It is a style that the younger generation seems to like the most. It is often said that "there is no one in America who wears American casual," but I would say that it is a kind of imaginary "casual" American casual.

It's very clear what you want to do. The vintage details such as the attached belts and buttons, the damaged hems and sleeve ends, and the cut-outs are overloaded with vintage details. Since it is solid as a product and the details are elaborate, after another decade or so, the bias will be laundered and it will be appreciated as "just fine" like the masterpiece items of "Gap" and "J.Crew. I have a feeling that this is the case.

The zip hoodie is also very well made.

Abercrombie & Fitch Zip Hoodie ¥10,780(Ensemble)

The inside is covered with thermal fabric, and the zipper is a bit stiff. The letter appliques have piping that looks like, "Why did you bother to put them here? The pockets and zippers are frayed to add an aged look. The tag is particularly interesting. The tags are stacked on top of each other. The felt fabric is placed at the bottom, followed by the cotton twill fabric, and then the woven name is stitched on. It's simply too much (laughs).

These sweatshorts are another item with a lot of “character.

Abercrombie & Fitch sweatshorts ¥9,790(Ensemble)

The tag is layered here as well. The print and the applique are both used, which is very intricate. Sun fade and damage processing like this are popular in the vintage world, but in the case of Abercrombie, it looks unnatural and deliberate, but that's what's good about it! The total overkill is interesting in its own way. The keywords are all there, and it fits the mood of today's world exquisitely. And yet it doesn't feel like a convenient hit right in the middle.

It is very difficult to get a yakuman, but the score is very low, isn't it?

I think the current mood is to enjoy even that feeling with a sense of “something interesting. The problem is how to wear them. In my experience, the standard for 00”s clothes is tight to just right in terms of shoulder and body width. This is no exception. Moreover, the silhouette is exquisitely long and narrow, which may be a little difficult if you are used to the shorter lengths that have been the trend in recent years.

The younger generation is now wearing bottoms on their waists, and I think it would be a good balance for them. By the way, is it possible to go up a size?

Looking at the catalogs of the time, it seems that the correct fit for both tops and bottoms is to wear them just right, but if you go up a size to give more room in the shoulder and body width, the arms become too long and it is difficult to wear.... How to get around this problem is also a matter of skill.

I see. I guess Abercrombie's original target was young white men with a good physique, like those in Bruce Weber's worldview, and that's why they chose this size.

That's right. We even used Bruce Weber in our catalog. It may not be easy to wear in today's world, but you have to think about how to wear it and be creative. If you can overcome that hurdle and get into it, it's really cool. It is not just a matter of going against the grain, but rather, knowing that, you want to “dare” to try the clothes. This is why the Abercrombie & Fitch of this era is a place where you can enjoy the unique pleasures of secondhand clothing.

Hiroaki Takeuchi / Owner, Ensemble
His love of vintage clothing led him to open “Ensemble” in January 2016 to start his own vintage clothing store. Based on his own roots in American casual wear, he picks up "items he finds interesting regardless of genre" mainly through purchases in the United States. The items that fill the store are all in good condition and reasonably priced. The store just celebrated its 10th anniversary this January.
Instagram:@ensemble_kichijoji