The story behind the second version of the sweatshirt parka. Yoshikage Kajiwara and Motoshi "Poggy" Ogi talk about what they can tell us now.

It is still fresh in our minds that the fascinating collaboration that took place in September of last year caused quite a stir on the scene. The collaboration between Roop Wheeler, which only collaborates with a limited number of partners, and Yoshikage Kajiwara, who has been creating new values through crossover with different industries, and Motoshi "Poggy" Ogi, whose every move is now the focus of attention in the industry, is a gem. The first was a gem by Yuka Kajiwara, who has been creating new values. Six months after its impact, the second volume has finally been released. Here are some words from Mr. Kajiwara and Mr. Ogi to give you an idea of what it is all about.

A crossover between the two that was meant to be realized.

The two had been in contact with each other for some time. Mr. Ogi describes Mr. Kajiwara as "my senior who warmly watched over me since I was in the press," while Mr. Kajiwara recalls, "We have frequently seen each other at drinking parties since that time, and I enjoyed the unique feeling of being in the company. Their relationship has lasted nearly 20 years. The project that began last year may have been inevitable. Mr. Ogi explains.

I decided to go independent in 2018, and at that time, I informed Mr. Kajiwara of my decision. Mr. Kajiwara remembered that and told me about this opportunity. Loopwiller is a brand that is not easy to collaborate with, and I think it is only Mr. Kajiwara, who has built a relationship of trust with Mr. Suzuki, the representative of Loopwiller, over many years, who can make such a proposal."

We were just going out for dinner," Kajiwara quickly adds, "but that's all.

However, it seems that Mr. Suzuki had some involvement with Mr. Ogi in the past, and although it did not come to fruition, he was interested in him. So, at some point, I told him about Ogi's independence, and he said he wanted to do something together. However, when we started the project, Ogi's ideas were beyond Mr. Suzuki's imagination, so we had to think about various ways of settling the issue.

However, Mr. Kajiwara believes that the reason Ogi's ideas are not mere random thoughts, but resonate with a wide range of people, is due to his past experience.

In Ogi's case, he has learned from those who have created men's fashion in Tokyo, such as Mr. Shigematsu (current honorary chairman of UNITED ARROWS) and Mr. Kamoshita (current creative advisor to UNITED ARROWS), so his fashion backbone, I guess you could say, is solid. That's why they are able to come up with interesting ideas. I think that's why it is possible to come up with interesting ideas. Many people don't have that backbone, so they can't continue simply doing interesting things.

. we are very grateful," says Ogi. . And he emphasizes that many select stores do more than just sell things.

. select stores have a decent selection of good things from various countries. . They also match Italian jackets with English shirts, or incorporate sportswear with ethnic or work wear. . or they combine current items with vintage clothing from a few years ago, or vintage clothing from decades ago, all in one style. Select stores do a very sophisticated mix of countries, tastes, and time periods. I think what I learned there was very important.

What is the origin of the parka for both of them?

In light of the first issue, Mr. Kajiwara and Ms. Ogi express their commitment to and passion for the parka, a staple of men's casual wear. When asked about the origin of the parka, Mr. Kajiwara spoke of the influence of a certain magazine.

In 1984, Popeye magazine ran an interesting feature called "Youth Productology. . It was a project that defined the standard items of men's casual wear, such as sneakers, denim, etc. Sweatshirts, of course, were included in the section. Of course, sweatshirts were also included, and a variety of brands were introduced. I have lived in an era when the concept of "standard items" did not exist yet, so I follow the standard items. You could say that the items listed in the book are all I have ever seen. I still wear an oxford BD shirt and a 3,800 yen reverse weave sweatshirt that was sold in a cardboard box at a thrift store. . I wear it, give it away, and repeat. However, what I was wearing back then has now become something that costs tens of thousands of yen. I regret that I gave them away too easily.

Mr. Ogi agrees with them.

I was a reverse weaver too . I remember buying the Chicago Bulls one when I was in high school and wearing it a lot. I used to long for vintage clothes while watching "Boone" in the 1990s, because I couldn't afford to buy a retro-fitted parka anymore. I still have a smoldering longing for such things. I also like the way a parka with an attached hoodie creates an interesting change around the neck when worn as an inner layer of a jacket. I like that too. But nowadays, the price has gone up even more.

However, Mr. Kajiwara said that his encounter with Loop Wheeler was a kind of shock to him, as he had always been focused on the U.S.

I had the basic idea that sweatshirts should be made in the U.S. . I wasn't interested in Japanese-made sweatshirts until I came across Lop Wheeler. But when I tried them on, they were great. Maybe that's why I gave up the reverse weave sweatshirts I had been wearing.

The project concept is strongly reflected in this second volume.

The first projection of such a background was colorfully projected and closed with great success, but Ogi says that he had initially envisioned a different image.

At first, I wanted to make a ragged parka. . Rags and tatters are quite difficult to make, aren't they? . There are rags that look dirty, and there are rags that have a nice atmosphere. I like to look for the latter with the right balance at thrift stores. The amount of time they have been worn and the way they have been nurtured are different for each person, and their charm cannot be estimated by money. However, even if they have a good atmosphere, for example, the double V's of the era that became the motif of this parka are short in length, and it is difficult to find something that can be worn in a good way. I thought it would be interesting if Roop Wheeler could find such a thing, so I asked Mr. Kajiwara about it."

That was indeed difficult," Kajiwara said.

Loopwiller" is attractive because it doesn't fall apart (laughs). But I think the different approach from there is very Ogi-like.

. Therefore, Mr. Ogi proposes a new approach without changing direction.

I thought it would be interesting to incorporate vintage details and do it with Loopwiller quality. In the old days, people used to have separate pockets to keep their hands warm, and I wanted to create an item that incorporated such details.

Mr. Kajiwara says that my role in the project is to give form to Mr. Ogi's unique sensibility in a way that is easier to understand.

He has already become a fashion icon in the industry, including his ability to communicate, but the general public does not have the same level of appeal as Ogi. However, I think it would be great if there were a product that could incorporate the essence of what he has. Therefore, we focused on vintage clothing, which he incorporates into his outfits on a daily basis. Last time, we focused on details such as the separate pockets often seen in vintage clothing of yesteryear, but we also took the approach of making the silhouette and ease of use more modern.

For this second project, Kajiwara says, "I feel like I have deepened the concept of the project.

. the color that you'd find on a so-called vintage 'Champion' reverse weave." . It's about the 80's. . . The color is like the color of vintage sweatshirts that everyone is desperate to get their hands on in the vintage clothing scene. . In vintage clothing, there are only those left that have the ends of the ribs frayed. We think that is a valuable item, but if you are going to wear it on a daily basis, we suggest that you enjoy the atmosphere of the item and prefer a higher quality item.

According to Kajiwara, "What's interesting is that it's a 'loop wheeler,' but it doesn't look like one.

Ogi suggested the red color, and I suggested the green. We also decided that it would be better to do something basic, so we added dark tones, which are the basic colors for Adam Eropée, to the lineup. Black ink with white strings looks like athletic wear or mode wear when you look at it again. It has the ruggedness and conservatism characteristic of LOOPSWILLER, but it is also somehow more mode-oriented. That's what makes the collaboration so interesting.

We are thinking of creating the next item that reflects Ogi's maniacal side," said Kajiwara. Although it has only been a short time since the second item was announced, it seems that the two of them have already moved on to the next item. While we are curious to see where it goes, for now, let's enjoy the second parka to the fullest this season.

LOOPWHEELER x LOWERCASE x POGGYTHEMAN PULLOVER HOODIE
Based on a pullover grafted parka, it has both V-gussets at the neck and separate kangaroo pockets,
While inheriting the details of the first version, which was well received, such as the double-faced retrofit hood,
Four new colors are available this season. Each ¥23,100

Text_Ryo Kikuchi