So, What is NEW VINTAGE? Vol. 44 "Difficult to tell the difference between ants and nags!" The "new vintage" is a T-shirt with embroidery. Therefore, embroidered T-shirts are a test of taste.

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.

This series has entered its sixth season. The 44th issue, the last of the first round, features Hiroyuki Nakano of "dojoe" in Yoyogi Uehara.

Text_Tommy
Edit_Yosuke Ishii

Hiroyuki Nakano / Owner, dojoe
Vol.44_Embroidery T-shirts

-What is the new vintage for you?

I think that "new discovery" and "rediscovery" are the two basic elements, and then, there are things that can be sympathized with by others. I think that is what the new vintage is. If I were to use a baseball analogy, the former would be a rookie who was drafted in the first round, while the latter would be a famous player from the past who was revived at the Nomura Rebuilding Factory, or an unknown player from a team that failed to qualify for the prefectural tournament who was brought up in a developmental program. This kind of development is a trend of the time and timing. And then value is added, and the player becomes a vintage.

-When I look at the "dojoe" selection, that's exactly what I see.

How do you turn a team around when it is difficult to get star players (top-selling items, vintage) like the Giants? So, we simply changed the way we look at it and "put players we think are interesting into the lineup. Therefore, when selecting items, we are conscious of "something that catches the eye at first sight, but also something that cannot be found without searching to some extent. If an item can be found anywhere, it may not look interesting, even if it is interesting. The other thing to consider is whether or not we can gain the sympathy of our customers.

-So, who are you going to introduce this time?

I'm sorry to say that I've picked up something so trivial, but I've brought an embroidered T-shirt that I'm into right now ....... In the vintage clothing industry, there is an unwritten rule that embroidery is not allowed, even if it is the popular "Champion" brand. The reason for this is simple and clear: "There are not enough good-looking products.

-Introducing such a minefield of genres is a new discovery?

As I looked at the various pieces, I realized that there are things that are cool because they are embroidered. First of all, please take a look at these four pictures. They clearly have a better atmosphere than prints, don't they?　After thinking about why, I came to the conclusion that embroidery has a "three-dimensional" feel. By expressing the graphics in three dimensions, it brings out the best of the graphics and creates an interesting atmosphere different from that of prints.

(from top) Corona Beer T-shirt ¥3,850, Allied Domek T-shirt ¥3,850, I Sold My House. Com T-shirt ¥3,850, Shriners Hospitals for Children T-shirt ¥3,850(All in dojo)

-That's right. All four of these pieces are corporate objects.

I have the impression that most of the chest designs are corporate or logo designs. The top one is Corona Beer, the next is a British food company, the third one is a real estate sales website, and the bottom one is a pediatric hospital. I think they are all uniforms, but the addition of the three-dimensional embroidery to the text and small illustrations makes them more expressive.

I guess the interesting thing is that the fabric itself becomes uneven, giving it a flat yet three-dimensional feel. And this one?

Next is an interesting type of embroidery. It is a souvenir from a resort town called Bar Harbor in Maine, USA. It is quite three-dimensional and seems to incorporate the image of floaters and swimsuits, as it is a seaside town. I like the exquisite balance between the feeling of being worn by relatives or old ladies in the neighborhood and the feeling of being somewhat fashionable.

Bar Harbor T-shirt ¥3,850(Dojo)

-You wear them with leggings, don't you? I can see you with a supermarket shopping bag (laughs).

Yes, it is!　It's really difficult to find the right balance between the two. Before,Doregular T-Shirt Exhibition"When we held the "T-Shirt Swamp," we dived deeper and deeper into the swamp of regular T-shirts, and this is what we found (laughs).

-It's an untapped genre, isn't it? It is only natural that the hurdle is high, since we have to search for ants among the vast number of items buried in this vast number of items. And the last one looks like an ordinary printed T-shirt?

Look closely. There is a small "COACH" embroidered on the left chest. I think it belongs to some volleyball team, but I thought it was interesting to see the difference in temperature between the embroidery and the print. The size and balance of the embroidery, which just fits into the empty space in the design, are also excellent. It's like a story, don't you think?

Warriors T-shirt ¥3,850(Dojo)

-The new coach of a weak high school volleyball team is a famous player from the past. At first, the students are repulsed by his Spartan attitude. Gradually, however, a relationship of trust is formed, and after he is accepted as a member of the team, the students give him this T-shirt as a gift!　Like that?　From that perspective, it is dramatic.

Yes (laughs). (Laughs.) Depending on how you look at it, you can enjoy it in many different ways. But to be honest, there are many times when I myself, the picker, wonder, "Is this really possible? (laugh). (Laughs) If I had to pick one point, it would be "a cute design with small embroidery. And if it's a corporate product, you can't go wrong. I don't think that embroidery of this size would be that expensive. Once you get used to it, it would be fun to look for something that you can enjoy by imagining the story behind it. The rest is just like muscle training. By digging around and practicing over and over again, you will develop an aesthetic sense for vintage clothing and learn to recognize a good piece! (Laughs).

Hiroyuki Nakano / Owner, dojoe
He started his career at "NOW OR NEVER", a vintage clothing shop in Koenji. After that, he studied vintage clothing in the U.S. After returning to Japan, he worked at "OKIDOKI" and learned silkscreen printing from Mr. izmt of "AnoLuck" and started a hand-printed T-shirt brand. 2015, he opened a vintage clothing store "dojoe" in Yoyogi Uehara. dojoe" is a vintage clothing store located in Yoyogi Uehara, Tokyo, Japan. He has many fans in the industry due to his good taste and foresight in import and used items purchased in the U.S.
Official site:dojoe-tokyo.com
Instagram:@dojoe_tokyo