So, What is NEW VINTAGE? Vol.4 Polo golf is a "no-frills" yet modern style of polo golf.

What is the New Vintage anyway?

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.

The fourth installment is by Mr. Tadahiro Ito of Ito Shoten .

Text_Tommy
Edit_Yosuke Ishii

Tadahiro Ito / Manager, Ito Shoten
Vol.4_Polo Golf Drum Bag & Couchin Knit

-What is the new vintage for you?

New = new and vintage = old, which may seem like a contradictory combination of words, but the point is that "old clothes that feel fresh" is what we are looking for, right? But the point is "old clothes that feel fresh," isn't it?　First of all, as Hajime (Sakamoto) said in the first article, "There must be a large number of them in the market. Otherwise, it will not spread among people, and it will be difficult to establish it as a trend.

-In terms of trends, what do you see as popular among today's younger generation?

Logos are very popular. For example, Hard Rock Café T-shirts and brand-name items that are instantly recognizable are popular on social networking sites. So, things that are plain, a bit tacky, or don't "look good" don't really catch on. But I can't leave it at that. Like Columbia's fishing shirts a little while ago, I think there could be a great chance depending on how we propose them. In that sense, I think we need to be more fashion-conscious in the future. I think that the time will come when we will no longer be talking about "the tag" or "the logo," etc. So, I don't worry about the age of the product. Therefore, I don't care much about the age of a product. Nowadays, the line between used and secondhand clothing is disappearing.

-. In the third article, Mr. Aoki mentioned the price of secondhand clothes. In the third article, Mr. Aoki mentioned the price of used clothes, but "Ito Shoten" is very reasonable, isn't it?

. Well, you can buy nice things as long as you pay for them, can't you? I have always thought that secondhand clothes should be easy to try on, so I don't understand the feeling of charging a high price for something that has already gained in value. Of course, I can't afford to break the market price carelessly, so I don't set insane prices, but I don't understand why people would pay more for something if it is cheap. Besides, if it is cheap, it can be mixed with new and current items, and I would like that to be the case. If you wear old clothes in the same way as they were worn in those days, it will give a strong sense of cosplay. I believe that vintage clothing should not play a leading role, but should be incorporated as a spice.

-And what would you like to introduce to us this time, Polo Ralph Lauren, which is also your specialty?

No, it's the same polo, but it's POLO GOLF. To be honest, it is not very valuable in the market, and some people even recognize it as a disappointing version of Ralph Lauren's "Ralph Lauren. However, while it has a sporty taste, the old-man look that it exudes is very modern, if that's what you mean. I think that's what we're aiming for. As for the items, first of all, there is this drum bag. I guess it would be around the year 2000. As those who like this design know, Polo Sport has an almost identical one. Since the development of POLO SPORT was finished at that time, the design was probably used over and over again. You know, it has this "made-from-scratch" feel to it (laughs).

Polo Golf drum bag ¥4,000- *TAX IN（Ito Shoten)

-. yes, this design looks familiar, doesn't it?

Of course, it's very functional. It is a large size for golf, , and there is a pocket on the body that is partitioned for shoe storage. And there's also a pouch in the strap area for storing tees and other items. Yesterday, when I was checking the condition, I even found a tee that the previous owner had put in here and a receipt that I thought belonged to the clubhouse cloakroom (laughs). The color scheme is very sonic-spot-like , and I would probably recommend it to someone who doesn't want to wear anything else. The price is hmmm...4,000 yen I think.

-Huh, is that how it is?

This is what we call "Interesting! I want one!" I'd like to carry it with my coat. I would wear it with my coat. I would also shorten the straps to make it look like a messenger bag, which has been gaining attention again recently.

Polo Golf Couching Knit ¥7,000- TAX IN（Ito Shoten)

The tag says "Italian Yarn" and the material used is good, 70% wool and 30% cashmere. . Well, I guess the price was not cheap at that time. What's good about this is that even if you wear it, no one will notice that you are wearing a "Polo Golf" shirt. The front is plain, and there is only a swinging golfer woven into the back. There is no Ralph logo anywhere, so there is no sense of Ralph, and it is just a matter of looking cute (laughs). In short, it is the exact opposite of the secondhand clothes that sell now, as I explained at the beginning. But if someone who likes clothes sees it, he or she will definitely ask, "Where did you get that? (laughs). It looks good with sweatpants, sneakers, and a little bit of a slouchy jacket.

-I see. The price is 7,000 yen , which is also cheap.

. Actually, I'd like to add a little more, but that would break the market price. However, even though I have seen tens of thousands of Ralph Lauren's old clothes, this is the first time I have seen it! Maybe the people who buy this golf line are really rich people, and when they don't wear it anymore, they throw it away. That's why they don't appear on the used clothing market. The timing of the cowtin is also exquisite. If the New Vintage is to find value in things that have never been in vogue before, then this is exactly what we are looking for now.

-The timing of the proposal is also important.

I think that nowadays, thrift stores are actually creating trends. The same is true of Ralph Lauren's reissued items, Columbia's fishing line, and Levi's silver tabs. It used to be that the status of a secondhand clothing store was how many valuable items they had, but now it is "how fashionable and interesting the items are. Now it is more important to have a good sense of fashion. Even though social networking services have become so popular, there are still many cool things that people don't know about. The concept of "new vintage" is very current, and I think it will become even more interesting in the future.

Tadahiro Ito / Manager, Ito Shoten
In 2008, he opened the vintage clothing store "T" in Koenji. Its street-based selections attracted a lot of attention. Later, he relocated to Shibuya and expanded his fan base to include musicians and people in the fashion industry. Currently, he runs "Ito Shoten," a playful web store featuring a selection of vintage clothing and his own headwear brand "geek. He also holds pop-up stores on an irregular basis.
Official website:itostore.thebase.in
Instagram:@mr_t_ito