UNITED ARROWS | Buyer Feature | Essential Items for Dressing Up

UNITED ARROWS

Motofumi "Poggy" Kogi, Director of UNITED ARROWS Harajuku Main Store Men's Building

Essential Items for Dressing Up

Motofumi Kogi, who spearheaded the debut of "UNITED ARROWS & SONS" following the renovation of UNITED ARROWS Harajuku Main Store Men's Building last April. "I tried on various suits for nearly a year," he says.

Text by OPENERSPhoto by JAMANDFIX

Want to Wear a Suit, Want to Change the Mood with Accessories!

Since "Liquor, woman & tears" closed in February last year and he began working for UNITED ARROWS, Mr. Kogi has been wearing suits more often. He learned about dressing up by reading "A Compendium of Suits" by Shozo Idezumi, which was recommended by his senior, Yasuto Kamoshida. "In Mr. Idezumi's book, it's mentioned that in the 1920s in America, people wore three-piece flannel suits in midsummer. That made me think I should wear suits in summer too. I want to wear them casually, like today, with an inner T-shirt."

The first time Mr. Kogi wore a suit was for his vocational school graduation ceremony. "After that, I thought the suits from Dior Homme during the Hedi Slimane era were cool and started wearing them, but it was Thom Browne who really got me into wearing them seriously. Atsushi Okubo's brand 'The Stylist Japan' taught me how to wear suits more casually. Then, the collaboration label 'Mr. BATHING APE® UNITED ARROWS' with NIGO®, which looks serious but has a street vibe, appeared, and the range of suits we could wear expanded."

Purchase 01
"Mr. BATHING APE® UNITED ARROWS" Wingtips
Perfect for today's seersucker three-piece suit!

This is an unprecedented idea, combining the hugely popular "BAPESTA®" sneakers with leather shoes. I'd love to wear something like this casually. It was quite difficult to avoid making the leather layers thick, and Regal also struggled. The design is excellent, and these are truly iconic shoes for the new street style. Today's suit is a three-piece from an earlier season of "The Stylist Japan," and I think these shoes are a perfect match for it.
Mr. BATHING APE® UNITED ARROWS Wingtips ¥40,950 (UNITED ARROWS Harajuku Main Store Men's Building)

Purchase 02
"Dunhill" Fountain Pen & Cufflinks
This is where I want to invest my money in the future.

I started paying attention to Dunhill because of Kim Jones (former Creative Director of Dunhill). I was impressed by a Dunhill Ginza store employee who had this fountain pen tucked into his pocket; it looked so stylish. The fountain pen features a silver bulldog, and the cufflinks have onyx bulldogs as motifs, creating a fresh fusion of elegance and rugged American casualness. I'd like to wear this pen in my jacket pocket, much like a Chrome Hearts piece. This is an item I've always wanted but is quite expensive. Dunhill will open a POP UP shop at the Harajuku Main Store in April. Please come and experience Dunhill, where classic style meets playful design.
Dunhill Fountain Pen ¥353,850, Cufflinks ¥166,950 (UNITED ARROWS Harajuku Main Store Men's Building)

Purchase 03
"THE BEATLES COMME des GARÇONS" Bag
Add a Pop of Color with Accessories

When I wear a suit, people who aren't used to seeing me in one sometimes say, "You look like a salaryman." I want to change that perception with a bag like this, adding a pop of color. I really want this "The Beatles COMME des GARÇONS" bag, even though it's quite large. I think it would be perfect with suits that embody the current era, like those from "Mr. BATHING APE® UNITED ARROWS." "The Beatles COMME des GARÇONS" is available only at two UNITED ARROWS stores, in addition to COMME des GARÇONS' directly managed stores.
THE BEATLES COMME des GARÇONS Bag ¥66,150 (UNITED ARROWS Harajuku Main Store Men's Building)

Purchase 04
"WACKOMARIA" Hat
The Act of Wearing a Hat...

I've been wearing hats frequently since about last year. This is a "No. 4" hat from Wacko Maria. It has a very wide brim, and I initially thought it would be difficult to wear, but I've completely fallen for it. As I wear it, I've grown to love its shape, and people often ask me where I got it. American casual brands are now looking to the more fundamental roots of the 1950s and earlier for inspiration. There are so many trends right now, and I'm drawn to things that teach me about the men of the past. The act of wearing a hat is the very symbol of that.

WACKOMARIA Hat ¥31,500 (UNITED ARROWS Harajuku Main Store Men's Building)

Purchase 05
"The Stylist Japan® x Hakusan Megane" Glasses
The Latest Collaboration Model

This is the latest collaboration model between "The Stylist Japan," a brand launched by stylist Atsushi Okubo in 2006, and Hakusan Megane. I went on business trips to Europe in January and February, and I saw many stylish people in Italy and Paris wearing glasses with amber-colored frames like these. At Pitti Uomo in Florence, I saw a cool older gentleman wearing glasses like these with a Lardini suit. In Milan, at the Umit Benan presentation, he was wearing small glasses and Alden shoes, which looked very sharp. I'm getting a bit tired of oversized frames, so I'd like something like this that looks more refined. They are scheduled to arrive in April.
The Stylist Japan® x Hakusan Megane Glasses ¥36,750 (UNITED ARROWS Harajuku Main Store Men's Building)

It's been almost a year since UNITED ARROWS & SONS opened, and the second floor has become a space where adults can enjoy dress casual wear. "Mr. BATHING APE® UNITED ARROWS" has also moved up to the second floor.

The basement floor is designed to introduce the enjoyment of suits to younger people, and we've also started carrying brands like Nonnative and Soff in this season. We offer a fun and pop selection typical of a select shop, combined with men's classics, proposing a mix of styles from dress wear that can be worn properly to casual wear for when you're not in a suit. We look forward to your visit, and we hope you'll enjoy the DJ as well.

Motofumi Kogi
Born in Sapporo in 1976. After attending fashion school, he joined UNITED ARROWS. After working as a sales associate and in men's press, he opened "Liquor, woman & tears" in 2006 (the store has since closed). He then became a buyer for UNITED ARROWS. Since 2010, he has also served as the Director of the Harajuku Main Store Men's Building.

UNITED ARROWS Harajuku Main Store Men's Building
3-28-1 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo B1F-3F
Business Hours | 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM (Weekdays), 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM (Weekends & Holidays)
Tel. 03-3479-8180
www.united-arrows.jp