Hello.
I'm Noguchi from CASANOVA&CO.
Today, I'm going to talk about this event starting this weekend.
FUKUBORI
ORDER EXHIBITION
2025.06.21 (SAT) >>> 2025.06.29 (SUN)
Yesterday, I introduced Kawara-san's "Fuku wo Horu" (Digging for Clothes) activities.
"Fuku wo Horu" is about deconstructing clothes that were shaped by society and the times, rather than by a specific individual's design, and carefully extracting the time and feelings embedded deep within their seams.
I believe that an activity like this, which involves deconstructing valuable vintage clothing such as denim and military wear, is bound to elicit both賛成 (sankou/approval) and 反対 (hantai/opposition).
However, through Kawara-san's deconstruction, a vast world that we could never have seen otherwise unfolds, and I believe that opportunities like this event, which systemizes and presents that world, will strengthen the value of his activities.
And FUKUBORI is the result of returning the value of the "Fuku wo Horu" activity back into clothing.
Personally, I hesitate to call FUKUBORI a "brand," so I'll refer to it as a "project" here, but I believe it's a very socially valuable clothing and project.
And above all, each piece of clothing created is of superb quality.
While it faithfully follows the patterns and sewing specifications of vintage items in a fundamentalist way, it is completely different from typical reproductions or replicas.
There are several reasons for this, but the first is the fabric.
FUKUBORI only uses unbleached fabric.
This stems from Kawara-san being a patternmaker.
In the process of making clothes, there's a step to create a toile, which is a preliminary assembly of the pattern.
There's a type of unbleached coarse cloth called "sheeting" used in this process, which is never used for the final product.
In other words, it's the initial form that only patternmakers see during the clothing assembly process.
Various adjustments are made to it to enhance its appeal as a product, but in a sense, the toile evokes the most fundamental part of the garment.
Imagining that toile, the most suitable unbleached fabric is used for each style.
Furthermore, a blue grid print is applied to the back of the fabric.
This is not intended as a visible design from the front, but rather toconfirm the grain direction of the fabric.
I believe it's a statement of intent from the patternmaker and shows the perspective from which FUKUBORI creates its clothing.
Depending on the fabric, the grid print may show through to the surface of the clothing, but that is not an intentional design.
Rather, it's an element that makes FUKUBORI what it is, hidden within the unseen parts of the clothes.
And another thing not to forget is the sewing.
The sewing is so careful and beautiful that it conveys a sense of conscious stitching with every needle drop.
Rather than competing on beauty, I feel that it gives説得力 (settoku ryoku/persuasiveness) to the choice of not designing the base garment.
Vintage clothing, generally speaking, cannot be described as having beautiful stitching.
This is due to factors like technology and machine performance, and during wartime, skilled seamstresses would be recruited for military factories.
While such rough stitching adds "character" to garments made in that era, calling it "character" when making clothes today is questionable.
Moreover, for FUKUBORI, precisely because they dismantle actual garments and touch upon the time and feelings embedded within them, I believe they cannot simply imitate that.
Therefore, I believe that sewing with utmost beauty guarantees the value of FUKUBORI, and by extension, the "Fuku wo Horu" activities.
In addition, it creates a very interesting balance as a single garment.
As I mentioned the other day, precisely because there are no major changes to the patterns or sewing specifications, it is not a garment with modern and beautiful patterns or specifications.
However, when exceptionally beautiful sewing is added to it, it transforms.
Since it adheres to the sewing specifications of the time, some processes can be quite troublesome for the seamstresses. However, the sewing team also understands the deconstruction process, so they accurately grasp Kawara-san's intentions and proceed stitch by stitch.
As a result, I believe the clothes have a balance rarely seen elsewhere.
Please pay attention to that point as well.
From here, I'll introduce each style one by one.
That being said, everyone has probably seen FUKUBORI's clothing before, and more importantly, the focus should be on the inside of the garment, which cannot be captured in photographs.
Plus, there's just too much information for me to fully explain. Lol.
You'll be able to see them alongside the dismantled displays at the event, so I hope this serves as some preliminary knowledge.
I forgot to take photos of some items, so it's not the full lineup, but I think you'll get a good sense of the FUKUBORI mood.
FUKUBORI
MA-1 TYPE-B
color _ Unbleached
size _ 1,2,3
The MA-1, a classic flight jacket.
Since Kawara-san's recent "Fuku wo Horu" exhibition theme was flight jackets, FUKUBORI is also offering various variations of flight jackets.
The fabric is Limonta nylon, with a faint grid print showing through on the surface.
The slightly plump pocket opening peeking out is also quite unique.
According to Kawara-san, flight jackets often have special armhole shapes to accommodate pilots' movements during flight.
However, the MA-1 also has a secret hidden in its arm section.
Please check it out with the dismantled parts.
FUKUBORI
KIP LEATHER A-2 JACKET
color _ Unbleached
size _ 1,2,3
This is also a flight jacket, like the MA-1, originating from the U.S. military, commonly known as the "A-2."
While the specifications and leather of original A-2s varied depending on the contractor, they were primarily made from horsehide.
FUKUBORI uses chrome-tanned kip leather from cowhide.
So why chrome and kip?
There's a clear intention behind it, characteristic of Kawara-san.
The epaulets have sharp stitching.
The shoulder area also features incredibly beautiful stitching.
From this alone, you can tell the level of precision FUKUBORI puts into making its clothes.
FUKUBORI
KIP Bundeswehr Leather JACKET
color _ Unbleached
size _ 1,2,3
This is based on the famous German military flight jacket, also made of leather.
The original uses bluish-gray goatskin, but this was also a very German, rational choice.
However, FUKUBORI also uses chrome kip leather for this one.
I forgot to take a photo, but the armpit has a slit-like opening to increase range of motion, and its edges are finished with hand-stitched bar tacks.
Bar tacks and similar details are sometimes touted as selling points, with lines like "We've incorporated tailor's techniques!" However, the fact that they are adopted as specifications to maintain the structure necessary for a flight jacket's function is very typical of the German military.
FUKUBORI
FORMER JAPAN Flight Jacket
color _ Unbleached
size _ 1,2,3
And a rare item among flight jackets.
An old Imperial Japanese Army flight jacket.
This is also a parade of details I've never seen before.
A hole on the left side for a military sword.
While you might not carry a military sword in modern life, FUKUBORI retains such details without omitting them.
Please use it to hold something other than a sword.
Because it's a violation of the Firearms and Swords Control Law. Lol.
The downward-hanging chinstrap is also attached with an unprecedented specification.
This part shows the ingenuity of people back then.
FUKUBORI
M-65 PARKA
color _ Unbleached
size _ 1,2,3
From here, please consider it a permanent collection within FUKUBORI.
This is what is commonly known as a "fishtail."
Of course, buttons for attaching the liner and holes for attaching the hood are not omitted.
Which means...
FUKUBORI
M-65 LINNER
color _ Unbleached
size _ 1,2,3
FUKUBORI
M-65 HOOD
color _ Unbleached
We have liners and hoods.
While they are sold separately, combining them will create a luxurious M-65 fishtail.
The liners and hoods are incredibly well-made, so please take a look at the actual items.
FUKUBORI
M-65 CARGO PANTS
color _ Unbleached
size _ 1,2,3
And when talking about the M-65, the pants (personally) cannot be overlooked.
The back satin has a moderate stiffness, and the stitching stands out beautifully.
Of course, the tape inside the cargo pocket is also still there.
The holes are also beautiful, with no imperfections.
The M-65 series also includes field jackets, of course.
FUKUBORI
TRACKER JACKET TYPE1
color _ Unbleached
size _ 1,2,3
From here, it's the denim series.
The well-known 1st type.
There's a reason behind this stitching that folds the action pleat section.
Although it's barely visible, FUKUBORI naturally uses needle cinches.
The fabric is 12 oz selvedge.
Typically, denim gets its uneven texture by using a thicker warp yarn than weft yarn, but this fabric intentionally uses warp and weft yarns of the same thickness to achieve a more uniform finish on both sides.
Nevertheless, since the threads themselves have irregularities, it still has a good texture and a pronounced twill line.
FUKUBORI
5 POCKET JEANS (STRAIGHT)
color _ Unbleached
size _ 1,2,3
Straight-leg denim in the 501 style, made from the same denim fabric.
Although not pictured, there is also a 505-style tapered fit.
The way the selvedge and print peek out when rolled up is excellent.
Denim with a nice twill line.
Even from the photos, I think you can tell how beautiful the stitching is.
This might be the first time I've ever felt that the stitching on denim pants was so clean.
When worn, the stitching on the fly and back pockets tightens the overall impression.
It's a place that makes a big difference.
That concludes the lineup.
However, for this event, we have prepared a slightly special "option."
"Oh, didn't that photo of denim fabric appear earlier?"
For those who thought that:
Non. Nonono.
The way the warp threads bulge has changed.
...I'll tell you more about it another day.