So, What is NEW VINTAGE? Vol.69 "Fashion is fun if you go on the offensive. Italian brand flamboyant jeans.

In the 1990s, the term "vintage" was used to describe vintage clothing that did not meet the definition of "antique," but was still valuable. Nowadays, there is a movement to find new value in "new vintage," even in old clothes from the 1980s onward, which were called "regular" at the time. 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 restarted for the ninth season with all the stores replaced, and the 69th issue, the start of the second round, is once again by Mr. Horiken of LeeLoo.

Text_Tommy
Edit_Yosuke Ishii

HORIKEN / LeeLoo Owner
Vol.69_Moschino Jeans and Versace Jeans Couture Pants

Now, you mentioned techno T-shirts last time, but what are the new vintage items you are going to introduce this time?

I have been interested in a designer brand from Milan, Italy, for a long time, ...... . Such brands have a casual line that offers jeans and other items, and this time I would like to introduce the bottoms released there.

-In the early 00's, Prada's "Prada Sport" was very popular on the streets, and such an approach may be fresh again now. What specific brands do you think are interesting?

First up is MOSCHINO. The founder is Franco Moschino. After working for a high-end tailor at the age of 14, he studied art in Milan and worked as an illustrator and designer for companies such as Versace from 1971. In 1983, he started his own eponymous brand, Moschino.

-Investigating, the brand made its debut at the Milan Collections in 1984, attracting people with its strong and unique collections and gaining popularity. As a recent topic, Jeremy Scott's appointment as Creative Director in 2013 is still fresh in our minds.

The brand is loud, colorful, and energetic, as if it had come through the 70s and 80s when the fashion industry was overwhelmingly hot and powerful. I have a strong impression of such textile designs. This time, we picked up MOSCHINO JEANS, which was born in 1987 as a casual line. . We start with a pair of plaid denim pants, which we think date back to the 1990s. . The point is that they use a checkered textile composed of three colors with the brand name as stitches. They have a straight silhouette and are usually easy to wear.

Moschino Jeans pants 29,900 yen(Leeloo)

. -It's like check pants that aren't American-casual or punk.

The leather patch on the back of the bag features the brand name, a peace mark, and a heart mark that expresses "PEACE & LOVE. It has a cool presence. The watch pockets are decorated with woven name tags, and if you look closely, you can see that the rivets are also original with the brand name. Every detail is very elaborate. And of course, it is made in Italy.

-What do you think the price of 29,900 yen is in terms of the market average for this type of item?

In the overseas market, the price is very high, ranging from 300 to 500 dollars in the U.S. and 250 to 450 euros in Europe, so when converted to Japanese yen, the price would be 40,000 to 70,000 yen, we think we are selling at a very low price. . However, there are not many people looking for them in Japan because they are not yet that highly regarded, and it is difficult to purchase them in that case. Overseas, they are expensive and difficult to purchase, and in Japan, there are only a few balls because of their low reputation. . Therefore, if you can find one, it is a good target, and that is one of the reasons why we picked it up this time.

-What is it like as far as size is concerned?

The waist is 32 inches. Not only Italian brands, but also other patterned pants made in those days were supposed to be worn skinny, and since many of them were for women, the majority of them were smaller than 30 inches, and if they were bad, 27 inches was the default. In this sense, it is rare to find a model with a size that is large enough to be worn with some room to spare, and I think there are not many of them.

-And the second one is also by Moschino, but what is the pattern on this one?

From a distance, it looks like a checkered pattern, but up close, it is a dotted pattern. . The sensation is like a checkered pattern with the dots broken up and zoomed in. The material is probably a bit thinner. Perhaps it is because the designer himself studied art, but many of Moschino's textiles have a hint of 1980s and 1990s pop art, and they are very fashionable.

Moschino Jeans pants 29,900 yen(Leeloo)

-Leather patches on the back pockets as well.

. yes, that's right. As seen on the checked one, the motif is the same peace mark as the leather patch and the front button. Moreover, if you look closely, you can see the folded-over part has a turned-around archuate stitching style, which is also cute. By the way, unlike the previous model, this one has a button fly, and those are all original peace mark buttons. Isn't it cute?

-Next up is VERSACE JEANS COUTURE, the casual line of Versace. I heard earlier that the designer of Moschino is an old friend of Versace, and there seems to be a link between the two. I found out that VERSACE JEANS COUTURE was born in 1988. It was briefly suspended and then revived in 2019, and is currently developing a modern design that combines the rebellious spirit and playful spirit of the original line with modern accents. I looked up the current items online and it looked like Luxury Street.

Versace is famous for its iconic Medusa design, and as can be seen from the fact that celebrities and musicians from abroad have been wearing the brand since its inception, many of its items have a glamorous and gorgeous atmosphere. In fact, I also like the fact that the brand has an affinity with music, as evidenced by its production of costumes and tour goods for musicians and its use of heavy rock music on the runway. So I have prepared a model from the 1990s.

Versace Jeans Couture pants 29,900 yen(Leeloo)

-This is fancy again (laughs).

It is a mix of floral and dot patterns. I like clothes with unique designs, and like Moschino, Coco's graphics and designs change dramatically from season to season, so you can find a variety of patterns. The common thread that runs through every season is the glamour and impact. This is what attracts me to collect them. The only problem is that there are so few balls for so many different kinds, so it's hard to pinpoint the one I'm looking for here... (smiles).

-The silhouette is quite tight. Is it a unisex item?

The shallow crotch and high hip pockets are women's. . . The material is stretchy and thin. The front has a zip fly. The top button is also an original medusa button , and the rivets are also medusa. The size label has disappeared, but I guess it's about 27-28 inches . . The material is stretchable, so it should fit up to 31 inches. The form is slightly flared, so it would look good on a slender person. . The other one is probably from the 2000s.

Versace Jeans Couture pants 29,900 yen(Leeloo)

-This one is quite large in the waist.

. It is considerably larger than the previous model. Moreover, the previous owner remade it by opening the waist at the sides and adding fabric, so although the original size is 34, it is even larger than that. The top button and patches are still in place. The pattern of interest is the disc pattern. Considering the period background and the fact that the case is also drawn around it, I guess the motif is a CD. I've sold a shirt with the same textile before, and it looks like it was originally a set-up.

-also with a unique design.

. it's still an interesting brand because of its close connection to music. It seems to respond well to rave lovers. However, I think it is also suitable for adults of all ages. In Italy, where these patterned pants are made, they are worn with beautiful leather shoes, so you can wear them in the same way, or you can downplay them a bit and wear them casually with a vintage T-shirt and sneakers. I think they were definitely tight in the way they were worn back then, but if you choose a larger size like the items introduced here, it would be easier to incorporate them into today's style.

-I see. The adult generation tends to shy away from flashy items , but it is worth a try.

To enjoy fashion, you should not start worrying about your age. I hope that the younger generation, of course, but also the adult generation who laments that "fashion these days is uninteresting," will try these aggressive items that will remind them that "fashion is fun. I hope that they will try our aggressive items that will remind them that fashion is fun.

HORIKEN / LeeLoo Owner
The owner of LeeLoo, a store that selects a wide range of "cool clothes" from the 1940s to the 2020s, regardless of age or brand. He proposes the enjoyment of fashion that is possible only in the 2020s, while respecting the culture of each category, and without being bound by genres such as work, military, street, hippie, rock, and high fashion. On May 3 this year, the store relocated from Koenji to Shibuya and reopened.
Instagram:@leeloo_shibuya