[Series 【: What Exactly Is “NEW VINTAGE”?] Vol. 140: Lowering the Bar by “Expanding the Subject.” Sound Clips You Can Choose Based on Mood and Graphics.

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 knew it, this series has entered its 18th season, and we’re bringing it to you from a new shop. For the 140th installment—which wraps up the first round—we’re featuring “dojoe” in Yoyogi-Uehara for the second time. What kind of new vintage finds will staff member Ogawa introduce to us this time!?

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Edit_Yosuke Ishii

Sota Ogawa / dojoe Staff
Vol. 140_Sound-Themed T-Shirt

—The theme of this series is “finding good regulars now that will be remembered and recorded just like ”True Vintage.“” Previously, we spoke with owner Mr. Nakano about what “New Vintage” means to “Dojo.” He explained, “It’s based on two concepts: ‘new discoveries’ and ‘rediscoveries,’ and on top of that, items that resonate with others. That’s what I consider a ‘New Vintage.’” He also told us, “When selecting items, I keep in mind that they should ‘catch the eye at first glance, yet be the kind of thing you have to search for to some extent to find.’”

That aspect hasn’t really changed. With that in mind, I’d like to focus on T-shirts this time. To put it simply, these are “sound-themed” designs—I’ve gathered a few that use sound as their theme, excluding artist-branded ones like band T-shirts or hip-hop T-shirts. First up is SHURE, which was actually what sparked my interest in this genre in the first place.

Sure T-shirt: 7,700 yen(Dojo)

—When it comes to audio brands, you’ll occasionally spot things like and in the vintage clothing market.

Since that’s a classic choice, I decided to go a little off the beaten path with this one. At first, I didn’t realize that “Shure” was an audio equipment manufacturer—I just picked it up because I liked the look of it. But it turns out they’re a long-established company founded in the U.S. in 1925, famous worldwide for professional microphones like the “SM58,” which are widely used by everyone from concert venues and broadcast stations to everyday music fans. While their T-shirts are typically known for having the logo on the chest, this is a unique design featuring the logo centered on a sofa, surrounded by text,

—If you look closely at the densely packed text, you'll see that these are actually artist names.

I’m guessing they’re probably a customer who loves that company’s microphones. With the artist’s name surrounding the sofa, it might be meant to evoke an image of “sitting on the sofa and being enveloped by the sound.” The T-shirt is by *Fruit of the Loom*, but it doesn’t look that old—I’d guess it’s from the early 2000s to the 2010s. It’s so cool that if someone told me it was from *STUSSY*, I’d totally believe them. Not just in the audio world, but in general, T-shirts from American brand merchandise often have really stylish designs, so I find myself constantly on the lookout for them.

—Next up is... Hmm? Bruce Lee?

Bruce Lee T-shirt: 9,900 yen(Dojo)

A surreal image featuring Bruce Lee—known as the immortal kung fu master and legendary action actor—depicted as a DJ. After doing some research, I found out that he wasn’t actually a DJ; rather, since his music was sampled by hip-hop artists like the Beastie Boys, I suspect this image was created to capture that vibe.

—By the way, he’s said to have a talent for dancing—he even won a dance contest in Hong Kong—and he’s also said to have a deep appreciation for music, partly because his older brother was in a band. Although this is a different graphic, a T-shirt featuring a similarly half-naked Bruce Lee wearing headphones and DJing became a hot topic when Tony Stark wore it in the movie *Avengers: Age of Ultron*.

Huh. It does have an official tag that appears to be from the Bruce Lee Foundation. I’d guess it dates back to around the early 2000s. The size and placement of the monochrome photo print give it a certain vibe—it kind of reminds me of a New York streetwear brand from the 2000s to the 2010s.

—It looks like something 〈SSUR〉 would do. But man, it’s huge again!

You probably can't tell from the photo, but it's ridiculously wide. Maybe the original owner was a hip-hop fan who loved kung fu, like the Wu-Tang Clan. It's fun to imagine things like that, isn't it? Anyway, here's the third one.

Drum Bam T-shirt: 7,700 yen(Dojo)

—It says “got drums?” on it, but it’s simpler than the previous two.

“DRUM BUM,” as noted in the copyright notice, is a long-established online shop founded in the U.S. in 1999 that specializes in merchandise and music-related goods for drummers and percussionists. Among their merchandise, if you browse the site, you'll find designs like "got keys?" aimed at keyboard players.

—Is that some kind of idiom or something?

“Got Milk?” is the tagline of a milk advertising campaign that began in the U.S. in 1993. There are T-shirts featuring this design, and the “Got ~” series—parodies of the phrase—has become a classic running gag that you come across every now and then. I thought it might be fun because it’s simple and very American.

—I see. The fourth item is a long-sleeve T-shirt that’ll come in handy during this time of year.

Rocca Wear Long-Sleeve T-Shirt: 8,800 yen(Dojo)

The brand is . Founded in 1999 as the official apparel line for the record label led by J.J. and Damon Dash, it became a staple on the streets in the 2000s as the go-to brand for B-boys. This design features a simple illustration of headphones, reminiscent of the style found in instruction manuals. At first glance, the three-dimensional graphic looks like embroidery, but it’s actually a high-quality silicone print that gives it an even more luxurious feel.

—In an interview conducted when the “Doregular T-Shirt Exhibition” was held at “Dojo” some time ago, it was mentioned that silicone printing requires producing a significant quantity, so it presents a considerable challenge.

In fact, the fabric is very sturdy, and features like the logo-embossed sweatband on the back of the neck show that no expense was spared. As you’d expect from a product run by a record label, a lot of effort has gone into the sound design as well.

—I really liked how it took a slight twist on ordinary sound effects while still leaving room for the listener to imagine a story in the background.

Both band T-shirts and hip-hop T-shirts are classic examples of items you might feel hesitant to wear without knowing much about them, but with these designs, it’s harder for others to gauge your level of passion or love for the genre, so I think that lowers the barrier to entry. Plus, the key point is that by framing it as “music-themed” and broadening the scope, you can make excuses to both yourself and those around you (laughs). Since it’s fashion, I think it’s perfectly fine to choose them “simply because the graphics are great,” and since they’re reasonably priced, I hope you’ll enjoy them without putting too much pressure on yourself.

Sota Ogawa / dojoe Staff
He joined “dojoe”—a vintage clothing store with a large following within the industry thanks to its excellent taste and foresight in sourcing imported and used items from the U.S.—at the age of 23 after graduating from college, and currently works there as a staff member. His hobby is the sauna.
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