What's the NEW VINTAGE in the series 【? Vol.107 "The phonetic symbols and Kanji characters are kind of cool. New Era & More with an interesting logo

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 14th season has begun with all the stores newly replaced!　The 107th issue features Tsubasa Koyama of "ONTHEWAY STORE," which has a store in Noge, Yokohama's most popular drinking district!　What new vintage items will he introduce!

Text_Tommy
Edit_Yosuke Ishii

Tsubasa Koyama / ONTHEWAY STORE Owner
Vol.107_New Era®️ caps and more with Dynasty and Kanji logos

-In this series of articles, we plan to search for items from among the so-called good regulars that have the potential to be recorded and remembered even in later generations, like true vintage. So we ask you. What is your own definition of "New Vintage" and "On the Way Store"?

In our case, we are not a pure vintage clothing store, but rather a select store that deals in "vintage" clothing as well, so we may differ from other stores in some senses.... The basic definition of "good regular" is the same as that of "interesting items that are rarely seen. Especially when it comes to used hats, I always have something on display because I like them myself.

I think there are many different types of select stores. How would you describe the "On the Way Store"?

In terms of the store's overall selection, we try to focus on brands and items that are not widely available at other stores, both in Japan and overseas. In terms of taste, I often select items from the so-called "street" style, from the perspective of graphic interest. I tend to respond to items with a 90's to 00's vibe when I find them because they are based on the culture and scene that I myself have been exposed to.

I am looking forward to seeing what new vintages you will introduce this time.

Continuing from the previous issue of "marmalade," I would like to focus on caps. As I mentioned earlier, our store selects caps based on "whether or not the message or graphics are interesting and will spice up the store regardless of whether or not they sell, Here are some of my personal favorites.

MLB official sweat jacket "New York Yankees" ¥13,200, New Era cap "New York Yankees" ¥9,900(both on-the-way stores)Unbranded "New York Yankees" beanie (personal item)

Oh, I missed this one!

The "Dynasty Logo" is a Chinese pronunciation symbol called "BOPOMOFO", which is used as a furigana for Chinese characters in Taiwan. Many of you may be familiar with the "Dynasty Logo" sports item, which was popular in the 2000s and was even used by Supreme in 2022. The New York Yankees are the most famous. The "Y" is pronounced "WY" and represents the first letter "Y" of the Yankees. The popular New Era (New Era®️) caps will be reissued in 2019.

I didn't know that there was also a "wear".

The sweatshirt jacket is official MLB, and the beanie is unbranded, but if you look around, you can find various other items such as baseball shirts and T-shirts. In addition to MLB (baseball), NBA (basketball), NFL (football), NHL (ice hockey), and the four major American sports are also available, so it would be interesting to see what you can find. This is the New York Knicks, an NBA team. They are harder to find and rarer than the Yankees and Dodgers.

New Era cap "New York Knicks "¥11,000(On the Way Store)

What do you read with this?

It is pronounced "Kay. Yes, it represents the initial "K" of the Knicks. Incidentally, according to what I was told directly from a New Era designer overseas, there are no trademark or design rights for this design itself, whether for MLB or the NBA, and anyone can use it freely. Well, that is true. There is no way that an application for a hiragana "A" or "K" would be approved (laughs).

I guess that's what I'm saying...unless it's one set with the Yankees and Knicks logos.... It is a good study!

I was introduced to the street by my brother, who was six years older than me, but I was just barely passing through this area and was attracted to the graphical design when I learned about it later in life. I tried looking for them on flea market apps, but even the reissued versions were quite expensive. Caps were sometimes sold for 20,000 yen. Many of the "New Era" caps were made in the "Made in USA" era, so they are becoming more and more rare and valuable. Next is "New Era" as well.

New Era "Chicago Cubs" cap ¥11,000, New Era "New York Yankees" cap ¥9,900(both on-the-way stores)

I am very pleased to see the "Kanji" logo.

The "Bear" is the Chicago Cubs and the "Morning" is the New York Yankees. The logos are on the back, so they are easily recognizable. I can understand the Cubs, though, because the bear is a mascot character. But why the Yankees are called "Morning" is a mystery to me. Anyone who can help me out, please let me know!

I'm curious. It is also important to note that both are not OG colors. The Yankees and Knicks I mentioned earlier, and this Yankee is no different.

It's kind of an air of those days, especially the light blue and red. It looks like it would go well with a classic style that would be worn diagonally over a white doo-rag. Looking at it now, it is quite fresh. Dig one step deeper and you'll find a design like this. This is the third "New Era," and it appears to be a college sports series.

New Era cap "风", New Era cap "鰐" (both personal items)

So, is the "crocodile" the University of Florida?

It is. The mascot character's name is Gators. They are well known for their sweatshirts, which can be found in vintage clothing. Another "风" is the University of Miami. His mascot is Sebastian. These two are new to me. The fact that the back is not fitted but a strap is unusual, and the fact that it is made in the USA is also a key point. This series is really hard to find.

I'm sure you can look for it in the hope of getting a chance.

I was actually not a fan of straight visor fitted types like the "59FIFTY®️" by New Era introduced this time because of the hard front panel, but recently I've come to think it's a little better by looking for it in used products.

Why is that again?

The body is soft because it has been washed, making it easy to wear, and yet there is little chance of wearing the same item as others. This is especially true for the "Dynasty Logo" and "Kanji Logo" introduced this time. The exquisite inertia of the logo would also fit in well with the drinking district of Noge, our home. However, one thing you must be careful about is the size. In the case of used items, the size indicated on the tag is not 100%, so be careful. Most of them have shrunk by about two sizes due to being washed, so it is a must to try on the item before buying it!

Tsubasa Koyama / ONTHEWAY STORE Owner
After working for a custom-made jewelry company, she went to Australia to work as a migrant worker, aiming to become independent. In the summer of 2023, he opened "ONTHEWAY STORE" in the Noge area, Yokohama's drinking district, to sell his jewelry and selected apparel. The store is located in the Noge area of Yokohama's drinking district. The store mainly deals in niche brands from Japan and abroad, as well as vintage clothing.
Instagram:@ontheway_store_yokohama