Recently, "batons" such as "#~Relay" and "#~Challenge" are often seen on social networking sites. It is a kind of social networking game in which people post a book, movie, or other item that matches a certain theme and then pass it on to the next person, but it is interesting to see how people's tastes and sensibilities are expressed. . So we tried it on "HOUYHNHNM" as well. The subject is "#myfavoritevintageclothing" in which you introduce your favorite vintage vintage clothing.
First of all, the baton will be passed to Mr. Kurihara, "Mr. Clean," who is the opinion leader of HOUYHNHNM's vintage clothing. Now, what kind of vintage clothes can we expect to see, and to whom will the baton be passed on to? Let's see what kind of vintage clothes we can see and who will be connected to whom.
BATON 01_Michihiko Kurihara / Mr.Clean Owner
The first sweatshirt I saw that made me realize the depth of vintage clothing.
1950-60's AKOM SWEAT SHIRT
This vintage sweatshirt from AKOM was acquired in the U.S. about 6 or 7 years ago. Kurihara says he was attracted by the details he had never seen before, and that was the deciding factor in his purchase. He has seen a lot of vintage sweatshirts, but this is the first time he has seen this sweatshirt.
At first glance, it looks like an ordinary sweatshirt, but the snap buttons around the neck indicate that it originally came with a separate part, such as a hood or collar. . it's fun just to imagine what it might have looked like."
Around the slightly high-necked neck, convex snap buttons are placed all the way around. This is certainly a detail I have never seen before in any other brand, including ACOM. The mystery only deepens.
I was curious, so I looked it up, but I couldn't find another one of the same model on the Internet. Even major brands such as ACOM have come up with items that I had never seen before and that I did not know existed, which makes me realize how deep secondhand clothing really is."
Even though Mr. Kurihara has been a buyer for more than 20 years, there are still things that exist that he has never seen before. The world of vintage is endless, wide, and deep. Now, who will be the next buyer to take the baton?
. I pass the baton to Mr. Nakata of Beams. We are the same age and have known each other for more than 20 years. He's always loved vintage clothing, but I'm curious to see what kind of things he'll introduce, given his long career at a major select store."
Michihiko Kurihara / Owner, Mr. Clean
Born in 1977, he left "Lost Hills" in 2010 and became an independent freelance vintage clothing buyer, opening "Mr. Clean YOKOHAMA" in 2018; he will relocate the store to Tomigaya, Shibuya-ku in 2020. . He is also a well-known member of HOUYHNHNM's "Vintage Summit.
BATON 02_Shinsuke Nakata / BEAMS Men's Casual Director
Sneakers you admire , from people you respect.
1970's NIKE NYLON CORTEZ MADE IN JAPAN
Mr. Nakata prepared a pair of "Nylon Cortez" made in Japan, which Mr. Kurihara bought in the U.S. during his "Lost Hills" days. 14 or 5 years ago, he purchased this item as a dead stock. It was one of the items he had been longing for ever since he first encountered vintage clothing.
. when owning a special pair of sneakers was a fashion status. . It was especially important for us to wear sneakers that no one else in school was wearing. At the top of the heap were the Air Jordan 1 and Terminator in the bash category, and the Cortez and Waffle Trainers in the running category. Of course there was a style of wearing rare models to stand out, but for us rednecks, we were all about high street items that were easy to understand and express, so owning these four models meant the pinnacle."
After that, I took a leap of faith and got the "Air Jordan 1," but I could not find a satisfactory pair of "Cortez. His longing for the written "Cortez" only increased. He continued to shop for vintage clothing during his college years.
. "The only fun I had as a bored college student was to spend all the money from my part-time job for a month on secondhand clothes the day after my payday. . During that time, I met "Lost Hills," which had a store in Tsudanuma at the time. Mr. Kurihara (now Mr. Clean owner ), Mr. Horie (, now MEMO representative )), who was friendly to me, taught me many things. . and he also made me spend a lot of money (laughs). . There are many more things I would like to introduce to you if Mr. Kurihara asked me to, but I picked up this one item to introduce to you."
After graduating from college, Ms. Nakata started working as an opening staff member of "BEAMS PLUS HARAJUKU. During his breaks, he would always go to "Lost Hills Harajuku" next door to check out new arrivals and get the best ones before anyone else did. And it was the "Nylon Cortez" that he purchased at that time.
. It was an item that was not appropriate for the age of BEAMS PLUS, but it was a golden size of that model that I adored in my school days, and it was a dead stock. I couldn't resist the urge, so I went to buy it on my day off behind my boss's back (laughs). Later, when I became director of "BEAMS," the rebranding of the "Cortez" and the Harajuku renewal matched perfectly, and I have memories of being approached by Nike and having a valuable experience.
There is more to the story between Mr. Nakata and Cortez than the value of the product, and that story is what makes this pair of sneakers so special.
I am a person who buys more for the person than for the quality of the product (laughs). There are very few buyers who make me want to buy from them. Mr. Kurihara's aesthetic sense for secondhand clothing is superb, and he is a buyer who takes the initiative more than anyone else. His aggressive moves always make my heart flutter.
Mr. Nakata values the connections between people, so who will pass the baton next?
I pass the baton to Mr. Kojima of " Captain Sunshine . . There are very few people who have a distinctive way of choosing vintage clothing. . There are very few people I can respect for the way he chooses vintage clothing. He is a detail fanatic, a history fanatic, and a material fanatic, and I'm very interested in the gems he chooses.
Shinsuke Nakata / Director, Men's Casual, BEAMS
Born in 1977, he joined the opening staff of BEAMS PLUS HARAJUKU in 2000, and after becoming the director of BEAMS PLUS in 2012, he also served as the chief buyer of BEAMS, and has been in his current position since March 2015. . He is the man behind BEAMS, which unites all of BEAMS' men's casual wear.
BATON 03_Shinsuke Kojima / KAPTAIN SUNSHINE Designer
At first glance, it appears to be tailored , but it is a field garment.
1930's FRENCH HUNTING JACKET PERSONAL ORDER
Among vintage clothes, he has the best knowledge of field wear in the industry. Mr. Kojima, the designer of Captain Sunshine, introduced to us a French hunting jacket made in the 1930s. Moreover, it was a personal order. It has a sophisticated appearance that cannot be found in American vintage jackets.
I bought this jacket about two years ago at "SURR by LAILA" in Kita-Aoyama, Tokyo. I was told that it was given to me by a hunting jacket collector in rural France. I loved the orange tint of the jacket, the texture of the cotton duck, and the handmade construction. . In addition, the fact that it was perfectly fitted to my body was also a key factor in my purchase. Even though it was vintage, it fit me perfectly, from the length to the sleeves.
While retaining the rough aspect of the hunting jacket, elegant details such as the lapel, waist belt, and rear pleats are incorporated. This is the result of the more fashionable Eurovintage style.
There is no tag at all, but as far as the details and sewing are concerned, it was probably a personal order made by a gentleman in France in the 1930s. . At first glance, it looks like a tailored suit, but it is interesting that it has been sublimated into field wear while retaining plenty of the designs of the time."
Originally , hunting was a sport enjoyed by gentlemen. As typified by the British Norfolk jacket, European-derived sport jackets are tough yet have a gentle aroma. However, it is interesting to note that the same item has a completely different flavor from its American counterpart.
. It was a piece of clothing that renewed my interest in old workwear from all over the world. So the baton now goes to Mr. Iwai, the designer of Auralee."
Shinsuke Kojima / Captain Sunshine Designer
. Born in 1976. After working as an editor for a men's fashion magazine, he started his career as a designer and established his own label "Captain Sunshine" in the 2013 SS season. . He creates clothes with a strong sense of menswear with a background in field wear and siemenswear. His detailed detail work and meticulous fabrics are highly favored by professionals.
BATON 04_Ryota Iwai / AURALEE Designer
Realistic paint stains are the best part of vintage clothing.
1990's DICKIES PAINTER PANTS
The final person to take the baton was Mr. Iwai, a designer at Auralee . He introduced a pair of Dickies painted pants that he acquired when he was 23 years old and had just moved to Tokyo. They are a one-of-a-kind piece with hard paint splattered all over them. The stains and damage caused by being worn by real workers make these pants one of the most enjoyable pieces of vintage clothing.
. about 13 years ago at 'Santa Monica' in Omotesando, Tokyo. They had about 20 pairs of real dirty painted pants like these in stock, and this was one of the ones I chose. I remember well that the store owner was kind enough to help me choose one. The stains are also realistic because they were actually worn by painters. They are not old by any means, but I think you can fully enjoy the atmosphere that only old clothes can give.
The white body of the painted pants makes the paint stains stand out even more. . It is like an art piece with drip painting on a white canvas. The natural changes that occur over time and through practical use are beautiful, and the charm of a one-of-a-kind vintage item can be appreciated.
. "I like the dozens of paint stains splattered all over it, and if you look closely, you can see that it has been repaired in some places with a tataki. . and also the fact that it's the perfect size."
It is often said that "secondhand clothing is a once-in-a-lifetime experience." It is not every day that you come across a piece of clothing that satisfies all your needs: the brand you like, the design you like, the condition of the piece, and the size. . It is not often that you have the chance to find a piece that satisfies all of your needs. It was also a once-in-a-lifetime encounter when Mr. Iwai selected this piece from among 20 pieces. Now, this pair of paints, which he says is his favorite, is he wearing it frequently?
I don't wear them every year, but rather every four or five years or so, when I feel like wearing them again. To be honest, every time I was invited to a flea market, I wondered many times whether I should give it up or not. . But I overcame that ordeal and still have a pair of these on hand.
Ryota Iwai / Oralee Designer
Born in 1983, he has been working as a patterner and designer for various brands. After gaining experience as a patterner and designer for various brands, he founded "Auralee" in 2015 SS, and opened his first directly-managed store in Minami⼭ in September 2017. 2018, he won the FASHION PRIZE OF TOKYO 2019, and from 2019 AW, In 2019, the brand won the 37th Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix Newcomer Award and Shiseido Encouragement Award.
Yes, that's right, so that's it for this edition of "#myfavoritevintageclothing," which has connected vintage buyers, select store directors, and designers. The people who are active in the front lines of their respective fields all had a good sense of vintage clothing, and each of them had an interesting story behind how they acquired it. The baton is interesting, after all. I hope you all enjoy playing with "#myfavoritevintageclothing" during a break from your home time!
