Shuya Okino's Live Performance

At 8 PM, one hour after the start of "2014 Spring Night ~Pop Up Gentleman," the four members of the specially formed "Shuya Okino Special Session" took the stage on the first floor of Hankyu Men's Tokyo.

DJ Shuya Okinoalong with percussionist Takahiro Matsuoka "matzz" of the jazz quartet "quasimode," trombonist Takao Hirose, leader of "JAZZ COLLECTIVE," and the sole female member, trombonist Mio Fujimura. Their distinctive styles, perhaps chosen with the Hankyu Men's Tokyo session in mind, were also eye-catching.



The first song was "Sky High" from the album "ROOT SOUL" by bassist and producer Kenichi Ikeda, also known asROOT SOUL's album "ROOT SOUL"ROOT SOUL. True to its opening role, the emotional sound resonated through the venue. The hybrid funk, characteristic of ROOT SOUL, naturally set the crowd in motion.

From the same album "ROOT SOUL," "Fuselage" and "Moog Rock," both Afro-funk house tracks, were also performed.

The blended sound of the two trombones truly shone in the performance of "My Roommate," featured on DJ KAWASAKI's album "BLACK & GOLD." This rendition boldly expressed the world of the album, known for its masterful fusion of house, techno, and disco.



After performing four songs non-stop and introducing the members, trombonist Takao Hirose's group, JAZZ COLLECTIVE, performed "The Jazz Collective." This finale piece, from JAZZ COLLECTIVE's debut album, was also selected for the compilation "TOKYO CROSSOVER NIGHT," curated by Shuya Okino, which topped the iTunes Dance Albums chart. The song enveloped the floor in an overwhelming sense of exhilaration.

"Shuya Okino Special Session" effortlessly transcended genres like soul, hip-hop, jazz, house, Latin, techno, and rock, showcasing the latest in the club jazz scene at Hankyu Men's Tokyo. Enthusiastic applause erupted from the guests who thoroughly enjoyed the live performance.

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Why Are Men's Clothes So Plain?

Hankyu Men's Tokyo'sMarch theme is "PopUp GentleMan"The theme encourages adding color through ties, shoes, and bags to suits that are steadily evolving, expressing a "pop-up feeling" through styling.

On the first-floor special stage at Hankyu Men's Tokyo, critic Gorō Yamada, who possesses deep knowledge of Western art history and formerly served as editor-in-chief of Kodansha's "Hot-Dog PRESS," appeared alongside Shuya Okino, fresh from his live set, and Norio Osumi. Okino's red jacket immediately caught the eye.

The discussion began with Yamada's question: "Do you know why men's clothing became plain while women's became flamboyant?"

"As you can see from the attire of feudal lords in the Edo period or aristocrats during the French Revolution, in the past, both men and women of wealth dressed flamboyantly; it was a symbol of status. Everywhere in the world, those who didn't work were flamboyant, and those who did were plain," Yamada explained.

"With the collapse of class structures during the bourgeois revolutions, plainness and flamboyance became associated with gender. Men, becoming plainer, adorned the women around them with flamboyant attire, further widening the gap between plain and flamboyant," he continued.



"The Peacock Revolution in the late 1960s was an attempt to reclaim that lost flamboyance for men. Besides plainness and flamboyance, trousers and skirts became the distinguishing features between genders. In the past, both men and women of the aristocracy wore skirt-like garments, and trousers were the attire of laborers. The sans-culottes of the French Revolution were 'those who did not wear culottes,' meaning laborers; it was a revolution by those wearing trousers – pantaloons."—For example, Gaultier has tried it multiple times,—but it never caught on, and trousers became synonymous with plainness," he concluded.

Why Jazz Musicians Wore Suits on Stage

Okino added, "Wearing a suit, shirt, and tie on stage makes playing difficult, but many jazz musicians found an aesthetic in the suit style and favored it as stage wear. Perhaps the suit was necessary not only to display status but also because wearing the same attire as the audience made the performance feel less like a spectacle."

Many jazz musicians moved to Europe in the late 1960s to spread jazz from America, and they popularized what is known as the 'compora' style. The Contemporary style, a suit design announced by the International Association of Clothing Designers (IACD) in 1965, was characterized by flamboyant designs, such as the one-button suit favored by Hollywood stars like Sidney Poitier. The relationship between jazz and fashion is fascinating.

Understanding the Basics is the Key to Modern Arrangement

Yamada remarked, "How can men differentiate themselves within plainness? Beau Brummell practiced differentiating through how one wears clothes, not through items. He is the only person in world history whose name remains known solely for his stylishness," he said with a laugh.

"Legend has it he spent 30 minutes each morning tying his cravat, teaching us that men's fashion is about creating subtle distinctions. Men's fashion is still bound by rules, but to elevate it to a modern level, try to understand the classics (the basics) and then experiment with your own differentiations, such as jacket length, sleeve length, or how you tie your tie. I hope everyone enjoys finding their own way to wear a suit."

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Special Collaboration with Fashion Media!

A highlight of "2014 Spring Night ~PopUp GentleMan" was the model presentation showcasing the latest collections. This time, "Lanvin" and "Issey Miyake Men" made vibrant appearances.

The Lanvin model presentation featured looks from the Spring/Summer collection that garnered attention on the runway, including micro-shorts, alongside luxurious jackets and pants with Lanvin's signature treatments. It showcased the latest trends in men's fashion.



In addition to the special collaboration between Hankyu Men's Tokyo and OPENERS, the magazine "MEN'S EX" hosted a free shoe-shining experience with Shinichiro Matsumuro, Japan's leading shoe shiner. "MEN'S CLUB" magazine offered a limited number of sample tubes of an original fragrance created by Editor-in-Chief Keiki Toga.

The magazine "Safari" collaborated with the French champagne "Pommery" to offer a special experience of enjoying the show while drinking champagne from a horn. "WWD JAPAN" hosted a digital snapshot commemorative photo session in collaboration with Rémy Martin & Cointreau. These unique events, leveraging the strengths of each media outlet, took place on various floors.

The Entire Floor is a Carnival!

Fitting for 2014, with the World Cup in Brazil approaching, powerful and dynamic samba performances by dancers from Brazil, adorned in dazzling costumes, were presented on the main stage on the first floor and on each floor from the second to the seventh. They even made surprise appearances during the "Shuya Okino Special Session" performance, thrilling the guests.

The event filled Hankyu Men's Tokyo with energy, further amplified by the alcoholic beverages served on each floor. Over 1,800 guests thoroughly enjoyed both the shopping and the festivities.

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