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July 15, 2026
️【Takashi Tokuo's Eclectic Collection Vol. 3】The standard of American design. STARTER's preferred size is 'Youth L'.
LOUNGE | GREAT CONNOISSEURS: Takashi Tokuo's Eclectic Collection
A CONNOISSEUR is someone with discerning taste or an expert appraiser. In this series, we feature Takashi Tokuo, a great connoisseur with an impressive collection spanning music, subculture, interior design, vehicles, fashion, and more. Each installment, we'll pick one item from his vast collection and delve into its story.
Text by TOMIYAMA Eizaburo | Photographs by TAKAYANAGI Ken
He owns over 100 vintage STARTER satin stadium jumpers, stacked high.
The sight of NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL team logos lined up is like a sports shop's back room. Yet, facing this mountain of jackets, Tokuo calmly states,
️“There are still so many unknown colors, logotypes, and designs.”
Hearing the sheer number he's collected might suggest a fervent sports fan. However, Tokuo doesn't have a favorite baseball, basketball, American football, or ice hockey team, nor does he follow game results.
So why has he been diligently collecting STARTER stadium jumpers? The answer lies elsewhere entirely.
STARTER: An Icon of 1980s-90s American Street Culture
STARTER, a sports apparel brand, was born in the United States in 1971. Throughout the 1980s and '90s, it successively acquired official licenses from the four major American sports leagues: NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL. Jackets featuring bold team logos became popular not only among sports fans heading to stadiums but also intertwined with hip-hop culture, defining an era.
In America, both past and present, sports are intrinsically linked to local culture. On weekends, people cheer for their hometown teams, and the community wears the same colors. STARTER's products symbolized this fervor.
While acknowledging this American context, Tokuo finds value in a different perspective.
“The unique satin texture, sheen, and colors in the early products, along with the distinctive fonts and patches of each team reflecting the era, make for fascinating designs.”
️ He was drawn to them simply as fashion items, as superb products, rather than for their connection to sports or teams. That was the beginning of it all.
STARTER: The Appeal of a Youthful, Tailored Fit
When people hear STARTER, they likely picture oversized silhouettes, reminiscent of '90s hip-hop culture—a relaxed fit that resonates with contemporary fashion trends.
Tokuo's approach, however, is the complete opposite.
“Being petite, and with my personal preferences, I tend to avoid oversized items. To achieve my own look, I thought I'd try wearing them with a more tailored fit, evoking the vibe of the '60s.”
He seeks out Youth L or Adult S sizes.
His first consideration isn't the team's popularity, but the size. The ideal length, he says, is short, just revealing a bit of the belt buckle.
“They end up quite cropped, but it creates a really nice balance.”
This sensibility is akin to his first experience wearing a jacket by Hedi Slimane.
“The sleeves were short, and I thought, 'Is this really okay?' The shop assistant even advised against it. But I like wearing sizes that are deliberately not recommended (laughs).”
Paired with slim jeans and Converse sneakers, Tokuo envisions a classic American style, standard in every way except for the fit.
“Wearing this stadium jumper with a gingham shirt, a tie, and white jeans would be preppy. It’s elegant American casual.”
Master the Basics, Embrace Freedom
“I've been interested in many things over the years, but fashion was my first love.”
Reading publications like "Made In USA Catalog" and "POPEYE" magazine, he yearned for the cultures of both the American West and East, and was always drawn to Brooks Brothers, J. Press, and VAN JACKET.
“The foundation was IVY. In fact, it was the only option available.”
Later, his interests expanded through punk culture and designer brands to street style and avant-garde fashion.
“Our generation first absorbed the fundamental rules and established styles.”
At the time, Japan's casual wear history was still nascent. Fashion magazines consistently introduced basic clothing knowledge, essential brands, and styling methods. This structure encouraged learning the fundamentals before exploring more advanced concepts, a principle that applied equally to fashion and music. Consequently, as an adult, he is not swayed by fleeting trends.
“Even when oversized is the mainstream, I continue to wear what fits me perfectly, as it suits me better. (laughs)”
It's not about going against the grain; it's about knowing what truly suits him.
The Unpretentious Charm of American Style
Tokuo is drawn to STARTER for its colors and designs, which seem to originate from a place far removed from Japan's often humid climate.
Popular colors in Japan tend to be easily wearable shades like the Yankees' navy or the Dodgers' blue. But the world of STARTER offers much more.
Think Lakers' yellow and purple. 49ers' gold and red. Kings' sax blue. Phillies' deep burgundy.
“The vibrant purple of the Lakers is so fresh, isn't it? And the 49ers are exceptional—their logo design looks like something from a casino font (laughs).”
While undeniably fresh, these colors also possess a certain unpretentious charm. What is it about them that's so appealing?
“I'm drawn to the classic, standard, slightly unsophisticated look. It's the same with my beloved jerseys. Mastering that slightly 'uncool' aesthetic is fun.”
A little unapproachable, a little nostalgic, and a little bit 'uncool.' Yet, this very unpretentiousness makes it unique and refreshing. His first purchase, an Astros stadium jumper, was just like that.
“The color combination of the ribbing, for example—it has a certain charm, doesn't it? That's what I love about it (laughs).”
The orange and yellow ribbing. The sheen of the satin fabric. The bold logos. The atmosphere of local sports fans wearing them on weekends. STARTER jackets encapsulate that free-spirited, unreservedly bright spirit of old America.
Perhaps I Don't Perceive Clothes as Mere Clothing
This statement from our interview left the deepest impression.
“I often don't buy clothes as 'clothes' in the conventional sense.”
Normally, people buy clothes to wear them. They consider if they suit them, if they match their existing wardrobe, and how they'll pair with other items. But Tokuo is different.
“I tend to perceive clothing as objects, considering the material, design, and origin. Sometimes, the desire to own something overrides whether it suits me.”
A prime example is his encounter with Martin Margiela. He bought pieces for their interesting ideas, their compelling concepts, and their intriguing details. He acquired items for their masterful reconstruction of vintage clothing through handcraftsmanship. Yet, he knew they didn't suit him at all, so he rarely wore them.
While it may seem contradictory, for Tokuo, this is perfectly natural. He simply wants to own products that are interesting and creative. With STARTER, it was the same, with one key difference: he could wear them in a way that felt authentic to him. In Youth L / Adult S sizes, and styled within an IVY context, STARTER transcended mere sportswear to become something more.
His fascination with these items lies in the details.
The multi-layered, three-dimensional embroidery; the perfectly placed patches; the unexpected color combinations; the well-designed name tags; the solid aluminum snap buttons...
“STARTER features excellent, robust embroidery, skillful use of patches in just the right size, and above all, the satin fabric from that era was thick, light, and had a wonderful texture.”
He showed us a jacket adorned with embroidery that appeared to have been added by a fan later on.
“The way the name is embroidered shows such affection for the team. It's a sensibility that modern designers might try to emulate, but it's not forced. And the tag designs are great too—they used the official MLB mark masterfully. The placement of the NBA patch within the pocket trim is also exquisite.”
His attention also turns to the lining colors and the snap buttons.
“Nowadays, they use plated metal buttons, but the snap buttons from back then were made of dull aluminum.”
Furthermore, there are differences depending on the era. Models from the 1980s have considerably more compact armholes than current ones, allowing for a sleeker fit, especially in Youth L or Adult S sizes. As production moved closer to the present day, sizes increased, and the satin material became more refined, altering the overall feel significantly from the originals.
Although reissues exist, Tokuo shows no interest in them.
“The sizing is completely different. Modern versions use thinner, lighter satin that's glossy and soft. They probably aimed for that same sheen back then, but perhaps technology didn't allow it. Still, the substantial feel of the older pieces is wonderful.”
Even with the same team, like the Angels, the letter spacing differs. Even within the same era, the construction can vary subtly.
“It's like it depended on the mood of the seamstress. That relaxed, wonderful quality.”
He says with a smile.
️“Although these are mass-produced items in principle, when you examine the details closely, they start to resemble handcrafted pieces.”
That's what makes them so collectible.
Fashion: A Means of Expressing Freedom
One day, while walking his dog, Tokuo passed by the shop "Godard Hacherdashery" in Aoyama. He happened to glance inside and saw the owner, Sasako, wearing a small-sized Celtics STARTER jacket after closing hours.
“It was the first time I'd seen someone wearing a STARTER stadium jumper in such an extremely small size (laughs).”
The next day, when he mentioned it to Sasako, he was told,
“You're the first person I've met who's interested in an unpopular STARTER jacket, especially one concerned with fit (laughs).”
The shop owner, who has a meticulous eye for fit and details and a unique style, is a former Comme des Garçons employee and also served as a buyer for Dover Street Market.
“So, there are others with similar tastes. But for now, I only have one friend like that (laughs).”
Buying what no one else wants. Seeing what no one else notices. And then fully enjoying it in his own way. This is Tokuo's unique value system.
“There's a debate about whether men's shorts are acceptable or not, right? I don't care about that. Instead, why not wear visible pubic hair or fake fur tights? That's more interesting.”
He doesn't care about others' opinions. He doesn't care about trends. He views luxury items and everyday goods with the same perspective.
“Because fashion is one means of expressing freedom.”
True to his words, Tokuo continues to walk the streets today, guided by his unique aesthetic sense.
The next item he finds will likely be another gem that no one else would notice.
Takashi Tokuo
Owner of Daikanyama UNIT, event producer, and art director. He handles a wide range of work, including art direction for major international brands, CD jacket designs, corporate logos, and graphic design for events. Concurrently, as the owner of "UNIT," a hub for music and culture in Tokyo, he produces numerous events and continues to lead the music scene. He is also known as a "rare collector" with an exceptional aesthetic sense. His fashion archive, in particular, is one of the world's largest, featuring many historically significant items such as early Martin Margiela pieces. He is currently active in various fields, including his project "C to C," which shares his collection.