Birvin Uniform Autumn/Winter 2013-14 Collection

Birvin Uniform

The theme for the 2013-14 Autumn/Winter season is "DETECTIVE."

Clothing for a man who loves detective work and the seaside.

"Birvin Uniform" is a brand built around the concept of 'a man living by the sea.' This season's theme is "DETECTIVE," and the design team of KATSUMI KOBAYASHI, YUJI SEKINE, and YASUMASA TANAKA explains that they want people to pay attention to 'the coexistence of seriousness and playfulness.'

Text by KAJII Makoto (OPENERS)

Serious from afar, playful up close.

──What is the theme/concept for the 2013-14 Autumn/Winter collection?

Birvin Uniform's seasonal theme is "DETECTIVE." The man at the center of this collection was born into a family that has been in the detective business for generations. He's slow, bad at disguises, clumsy, and not very successful at his job, but he loves his work and this seaside town. When the phone rings and he takes a case, he gives it his all. We created this collection with the image of such a sincere man, from whom humor naturally arises, in mind.

──What is the key look (coordination) for this season?

The key coordination is shown in the photo on the bottom left. The trench coat is made with the image of repairing something inherited from his father, and the lining features a print resembling the scribbled notes of a clumsy detective who forgot his notepad. The denim jacket worn underneath has a bold switching design: denim on the upper half and indigo corduroy on the lower half. The accompanying bottoms have gussets in the inseam for active movement.──The style, which appears serious from a distance but playful up close, is the focus of this season.

Birvin Uniform | 2013 Autumn/Winter Collection 02

──What are the key items and key colors?

The knitwear, featuring a Fair Isle pattern inspired by this season's "DETECTIVE" theme, is lightly finished with chenille yarn (photo on the bottom right). It's a comfortable autumn/winter blouson that is lighter and softer than it looks. The pattern shows a hummingbird holding a magnifying glass.

──What "materials" did you focus on this season?

We created a material by knitting French terry in a camouflage jacquard and then brushing it. Normally, French terry patterns are almost always printed, but Birvin Uniform worked with a factory, of which there is only one in Japan, to produce this material, which requires advanced techniques.

Birvin Uniform | 2013 Autumn/Winter Collection 07

Birvin Uniform | 2013 Autumn/Winter Collection 09

──What is the most rewarding aspect of being a designer?

Perhaps it's those fleeting moments: when a design, born from a tiny spark of inspiration, is completed through the hands of pattern makers, material suppliers, and factories, and then when it's displayed in stores, and even later, when you see a nice guy wearing Birvin Uniform clothes on the street.

──A message to your fans.

Birvin Uniform is supported by many customers and friends. We are grateful for all your encouragement, and we aim to be a evolving lifestyle design brand, challenging ourselves with various endeavors each season. We look forward to your continued support of Birvin Uniform.