Part 1: We're Opening a Store

The street leading from Omotesando Station towards the Nezu Museum is lined with Comme des Garçons, ISSEY MIYAKE, D&G, Prada, Cartier, and the From First Building, completed in 1975. Masahiko Sakata's new store, "archive&style," will open in the From First Building in late December.

photo by SHIMIZU Yuki

Clothing Teaches Us Many Things

I seriously started looking for a property about a year ago with the intention of opening a shop. The reason for choosing the From First Building is that, for me, the clothes I choose, the vintage pieces we believe in, are as valuable as imported or luxury brands, and I feel they possess even greater depth.

Having been involved in menswear design and creative direction for a long time, vintage clothing has taught me the fundamentals and knowledge necessary for creating clothes. The many fascinating garments stimulate my curiosity, prompting me to wonder, "Why would someone create something like this?" Encountering such clothes, delving into their history, feeling the passage of time, and being genuinely moved, I began to think about expressing something centered around vintage. That's how the idea for this store, "archive&style," began. For this venture, it's a team effort with myself and two friends who have over 10 years of experience as buyers in the vintage world and possess a strong fashion perspective.

What I want to express is, for example, the clear presentation of things rooted in their respective regions: traditional tailoring in Britain, the rugged charm of American workwear and Western styles, or the exquisite handwork of Italy. Underlying this is tailoring, and I'm focusing on jackets as the key item. While primarily menswear, I plan to offer a small selection of womenswear and children's items as well.

photo by SHIMIZU Yuki

Today, I'd like to talk about the jacket I'm wearing.

This is something I bought at a vintage shop in Kensington Market in London when I first went abroad at the age of twenty. It was in a multi-tenant building selling vintage and independent designer items. A punk guy with spiky hair recommended it, saying, "This is good." It was a suit with a tie, costing around 30,000 yen at the time. I was captivated by the quality of the embroidery and the gold buttons. The punk guy said it was from the '30s, but I suspect it's from the '40s.

At that time (1990), Japan was in the midst of the 'shibukaji' navy blazer boom, and I used to pair this jacket with painter pants. Unlike the American navy blazers everyone else was wearing, this one had noticeably narrower shoulders, a concave cut, and a structured feel that indicated a solid interlining. I fondly recall wearing it with a sense of pride back then.

From the way the buttons are attached at the cuffs to the design of the braiding, this single piece conveys a sense of history and prompts much thought. I believe that's what it means to enjoy fashion.

At "archive&style," we will also carry a small selection of items such as Afghan coats and belts adorned with coins. The use of coins perhaps represents a desire to wear one's entire fortune. This is where ornamentation begins. In its own way, I believe this is street fashion, distinct from American styles, and I want to gather and introduce such discoveries.