As the title says, today is about calmlence.
I think calmlence clothes are very meticulous.
I've only met Mr. Kumagai, who single-handedly runs calmlence, once at an exhibition last summer, so I haven't talked to him much. However, I believe his gentle yet honest and stoic personality is truly reflected in the clothes.
One of the biggest characteristics of calmlence clothing is the product washing process, which Mr. Kumagai himself performs as the final "finishing touch" before delivery to stores.
With over 30 years of experience and various experiences in the world of clothing manufacturing, he wants to personally apply the final touches to every piece of clothing he releases to the world.
I heard that Mr. Kumagai single-handedly carries out the washing process with this idea in mind.
You probably often hear about product washing in select shops that handle casual clothing.
Many of them seem to employ it as a means to intentionally create a "worn-out, used feel" or "casual look," but I don't feel that way about calmlence.
It's as if Mr. Kumagai is not only adding his touch, but also "stripping" the clothes bare and preparing them to welcome the wearer.
If I had to put it into words, that's the image.
Product washing, depending on how you look at it, can be a very inconvenient process.
The "makeup" of surface treatments on the fabric comes off,
The neatly pressed shape also gets distorted.
Puckering can also occur at the seams.
Even clothes that have been carefully finished on the surface undergo various changes when washed, becoming "bare."
Therefore, it reveals the true nature of the clothing.
The fabric as it is.
The shape as it is.
The stitching as it is.
Even when all of these are exposed, calmlence clothes are very beautiful.
No, they are made to be beautiful precisely because they are exposed.
By hand-washing each item, Mr. Kumagai brings out
the straightforward power of the fabric,
the technique that creates the form,
the robust stitching,
and I believe that these elements are revealed and softened, allowing the honesty and gentleness of his personality to coexist and manifest in the clothes.
Today, I'll be introducing four styles from calmlence.
calmlence
ATELIER COAT
material _ linen 84%,wool 11%,hemp5%
color _ BLACK
size _ 2
This season's new model, the ATELIER COAT.
Just by looking at it, it has a substantial feel that you wouldn't expect from a spring/summer coat.
It's actually quite a light "spring coat," yet it's amazing that it can still convey such a sense of gravitas.
The fabric is linen-based, as indicated by the material.
By intertwining linen around a wool-hemp blended yarn to create a kasuri-like effect, and then interweaving it with 60-count single-strand black linen, a random checkered pattern emerges.
And, as is always the case, it is washed as a finished product.
This is a power coat that fully showcases the strength of the weave and the technique of its form, with no room for deception.
Although it's barely visible, the lining is the usual floral jacquard, partially lined.
The sleeve lining is rayon cotton.
While there is room, it's not what you'd call an A-line silhouette.
It only subtly widens towards the hem.
I think this amount is just right for a spring coat.
Isn't the precision of this form amazing, even after being washed and having the fabric move?
The arm, which is swung forward just enough not to be excessive,
The way the volume gradually expands from the chest, moving away from the body,
The sharp edges of the hem and sleeves,
and so on, and so forth.
The careful accumulation of these small details is what makes calmlence, calmlence.
Furthermore, there's the nuance of the substantial fabric.
The kasuri fabric, created by combining three different materials, has a natural unevenness.
While it has a mood that suggests it has aged for many years, the base linen still has a good luster, so it doesn't just look old-fashioned.
This balance is calmlence.
The standing posture from behind is also perfect.
Honestly, I've never really considered spring coats to be that important for men's clothing until now, but this is a coat that I think is worth putting away your winter jacket early to wear.
calmlence
HUNTING JACKET
material _ silk44%,wool56%
color _ D.BROWN
size _ 1,2
calmlence
TRIPLE PLEATED WIDE TAPERED
material _ silk44%,wool56%
color _ D.BROWN
size _ 1,2,3
Here it is as a set-up.
The jacket is the HUNTING JACKET, a new offering from the brand this 2024SS season.
The pants are the TRIPLE PLEATED WIDE TAPERED, which could be called a signature item of the brand.
The fabric, which also appeared in last year's spring/summer season, may be familiar to some of you who own it or have seen it,
"Silk Wool Poplin Washer"
is what the brand and we call it.
Since it's a plain weave with silk warp and wool weft, it's called "silk wool poplin."
Furthermore, it's not just product-washed, but also fabric-washed, so it's a "washer."
Thus, it's a "silk wool poplin washer."
Both the silk warp and wool weft are plied yarns, but because subtle differences in color were used for each to create a chambray effect when woven, the fabric's luster has settled after two washes, and a deep color emerges from a faint fluff.
However, I must preface this by saying that due to the dull luster of this wonderful fabric and the color scheme of the warp and weft, the colors in the upcoming worn photos have become quite difficult to discern...
My apologies....
The color in the previous hanging photo is closer to the actual item, so please try to mentally substitute the color. lol
It looks navy in the picture, but it's actually closer to a charcoal brown.
You can wear the HUNTING JACKET with the collar down, but personally, I prefer to wear it loosely with the top two buttons fastened.
Since it's designed to be relatively relaxed within the brand, I think wearing it casually like that, allowing the hem to spread to the sides, is what makes it distinctively calmlence.
Like the ATELIER COAT, the back is partially lined with floral jacquard, and the sleeve lining is rayon cotton.
A lustrous sheen that remains within the dryness.
Both the silk and wool threads are quite fine, so they still shine beautifully even after two washes.
I believe you'll directly experience the potential of this fabric.
The pants look like this.
The TRIPLE PLEATED WIDE TAPERED, with its intense variations in volume, maintains a clear outline without unnecessary looseness or unnatural gathering of fabric.
I'll say it again, this is after it's been washed.
Calmlence designs clothes with this kind of form in mind from the planning stage, and they've perfected it.
The HUNTING JACKET also has an incredibly beautiful shape and is cool, but these pants are truly excellent. Superb.
When a customer tried them on, they were so undeniably cool that I forgot what I wanted to say and fell silent.
The set-up.
This is beyond reproach.
Anyone can see that it's a high-quality fabric, but there's absolutely no pretentiousness in the styling, and it's not disconnected from everyday life.
This time, our store offers the HUNTING JACKET in two sizes, size 1 and size 2, which I believe can cover people up to about 180cm tall.
Don't worry, the pants come in three sizes.
Noguchi, who is 178cm and 60kg, is wearing size 2 for both the jacket and pants.
Although I can certainly wear size 1 for the pants, I prefer wearing size 2 for the TRIPLE PLEATED WIDE TAPERED.
calmlence
SCARF
material _ silk31%,cupro69%
color _ PINKPT
size _ ONE
Today's last item is a scarf.
This is also a standard item offered by the brand.
The print pattern is from this season.
There was also a version with a black base, which was the first for the brand, but it's already sold out....
A fabric woven with raw silk for the warp and cupro for the weft.
Last season's scarf was cotton-silk, but this season it's silk-cupro, so I think it will have a tighter drape.
It might be the appropriate volume for spring and summer.
Dimensions are 65cm x 65cm.
Since the pattern is abstract, I don't think it will look out of place among calmlence's more substantial clothes.
That concludes today's post.
Also, online store and mail order for calmlence will begin on Saturday, January 11th.
Until then, sales will be available only in-store, so please understand.
I hope to introduce another lineup from calmlence in about two days.
Please look forward to the "one-of-a-kind floral pattern" and the "superb stripes."