FASHION /
FEATURES
February 26, 2015
ISETAN MEN’S | 2012 Spring/Summer Men's Buyer Feature: Isetan Shinjuku Men's Building 6F
ISETAN MEN’S | Isetan Shinjuku Men's Building
Mr. Takehiko Suzuki, Buyer for the 6th Floor, Contemporary Casual, Isetan Shinjuku Men's Building
This Spring, Wear Bright and Cheerful Colors
The theme for Spring/Summer 2012 on the 6th floor, "Contemporary Casual," of Isetan Shinjuku Men's Building is a new casual style for mature men. Buyer Takehiko Suzuki explains his three key points.
Text by KAJII Makoto (OPENERS)Photographs by HARA Emiko
Presenting the Answer: What is Mature Casual?
"This spring, I have three key points. First, the 'joy of color,' expressing the energy and brightness demanded by the times through vitamin colors. At the same time, 'gentle naturalness,' seeking a natural and comfortable feel. And finally, 'functional denim and personal customization,' based on denim trends," says Mr. Suzuki. Let's introduce some items that embody these points.
MUST BUY!01
Vitamin Colors to Energize Both Wearer and Viewer
"This is a spring coat from 'CHAT C WIN,' a capable Italian factory brand that also produces items for major brands. The silhouette itself is basic, but the washed texture, clear, non-fading colors, short length for a light feel, and slightly slim silhouette make it a piece that will surely energize the wearer. It boasts design quality comparable to high-end brands, processing done at a factory with top-tier technical skills, and high-quality sewing. All this, with excellent cost performance."
Coat ¥40,950 (CHAT C WIN / Isetan Shinjuku)
MUST BUY!02
A Clever New Piece from a Brand That Broke Through Last Fall/Winter
"Last fall/winter season, there was a queue to buy knit duffle coats from the Italian brand 'Bark.' They seem to have quickly joined the ranks of popular brands. This season, they've introduced an M65-type knit jacket. The appeal lies in blending the comfortable feel of knitwear with an authentic military design. You can enjoy the soft texture and Bark's signature beautiful colors. This item is rarely available in Japan, so please try it out."
Knit Jacket ¥48,300 (Bark / Isetan Shinjuku)
MUST BUY!03
Colors That Were Once Accents Now Take Center Stage!
"While popular colors for spring/summer were mainly navy, beige, and gray, this spring, brighter colors, previously used as accents, are now taking the lead. Italian brand 'SOLIDO's' colored pants feature sharp cutting for a beautiful silhouette when worn. They pair well with business jackets. The sophisticated washed texture is also suitable for more casual styling, such as with rolled-up cuffs. With six colors available, including an Isetan exclusive, I encourage everyone to actively incorporate bright colors this season."
Pants ¥21,000 (SOLIDO / Isetan Shinjuku)
MUST BUY!04
An Organic Initiative Across 15 Brands
'AVANTI,' a leading manufacturer of organic cotton fabric, produces fabric from raw cotton, primarily sourced from Texas, by skilled artisans. Previously, their fabrics were mainly used for innerwear and children's clothing. In this 'Organic Creation by AVANTI' project, designers select fabrics from AVANTI's extensive collection that match their creative vision. Fifteen brands located on the 2nd and 6th floors of Isetan Shinjuku Men's Building have created original items with the theme 'Relaxing + Setup.' For example, 'Scye' offers a supremely comfortable setup using a 5mm pile material. Special AVANTI tags have been created for this collaboration, making it a double name."
Jacket ¥33,600 (HIPY HAPA / Isetan Shinjuku)
MUST BUY!05
Isetan's World-First 'Outlast' Denim
'Outlast,' a temperature-regulating material developed for NASA. When it's hot, the microcapsules contract, and when it's cold, they expand, controlling skin surface temperature to always between 31°C and 33°C. Isetan has developed the world's first denim fabric using this material, with 60% cotton in the warp and 40% Outlast in the weft. This is a fabric project where each brand designs based on a 12-ounce, non-wash denim that's suitable for any season. The 'Diesel' jeans, our first custom order in Japan, sold out immediately upon release in February, with all 50 limited pairs gone. In March, we will release limited quantities of Notify's signature 'GINKO' model and Full Count's models with visible fading (color loss from fabric abrasion)."
Jeans ¥28,350 (Notify / Isetan Shinjuku)
MUST BUY!06
An Exquisite Project: Non-Wash Denim Artfully Faded in Four Stages
"The global denim trend is for slim-straight, non-wash jeans. However, in Japan, more people prefer jeans that are comfortable from the moment they buy them, so washed denim sells well. Therefore, based on 'TAILORED,' a premium selvedge denim line from 'G-STAR RAW' available exclusively at one store per country, Isetan has uniquely created four stages of fading. We offer a customization service, unique to Japan, for limited-edition denim with custom fading. The processing is done in Okayama and takes about two weeks, excluding the processing fee, but we will deliver them with your preferred blast and fade effects. This is a limited run of 100 pairs, exclusively at Isetan!"
G-STAR RAW Denim ¥19,950 + processing fee (G-STAR RAW / Isetan Shinjuku)
Isetan Shinjuku
3-14-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Tel. 03-3352-1111 (General Inquiries)
http://www.isetan.co.jp/





