Hello.
I'm Noguchi from CASANOVA & CO.
Today, I'd like to talk about "SARTO - andante -" again.
As yesterday, I'd like to introduce it based on photos of me wearing the items.
SARTO - andante - No.6
Yesterday's blog featured machine-knitted items, but SARTO also continues to offer hand-knitted items.
This was probably a hand-knitted item that was released in 24AW.
Wavy texture.
The direction of the knit changes freely.
Not only that, but glass beads are scattered throughout.
A sharp mood, completely opposite to the cozy image of hand-knitting.
It's amazing.
The front hook is made by Someya, who also makes SARTO's concho buttons.
In the previous blog, I referred to it as silver, but it is actually pewter (tin).
It can reduce costs compared to silver, but it has an intense strength that cannot be achieved with ready-made parts.
A hand-knitted item with no blind spots, whether viewed from the front or the back.
The fitting is tight, but since it's hand-knitted, let your body get used to it.
You can wear it as freely as you like, but I personally think it's best to style it all in black.
That way, the texture of the hand-knitted item, the sparkle of the glass beads, and the strength of the hooks will all stand out and come together nicely.
Well, just try wearing it freely.
SARTO - andante - No.7
This is what it looks like when you take off the hand-knitted item.
Underneath, I was wearing a black denim western shirt.
I think this is incredibly well made.
Personally, I've never been very fond of western shirts.
I wonder why? Maybe it's because I never found one with a balance of length, width, and armholes that I liked.
Also, I somehow felt they were too "rich" in image.
I just couldn't get used to western shirts.
However, when I put on this SARTO western shirt, it was different immediately.
I think there's no end to listing how it's different, but the vibe the clothes give off is completely different from that of American Westerns.
It's like it was born in the West, but then it spent a long time in the urban air, became refined, and came back.
But it doesn't feel like it sold its soul to the city. (laughs)
Although it has a silver concho button on the top, it doesn't emphasize the rich Western feel; rather, it tightens up the overall mood of the shirt.
It's kind of mysterious.
If you roll up your sleeves, you'll see that the cuffs have stiffness created by stitching.
Like this.
I'm embarrassed by my lack of knowledge about western shirts, as I haven't really worn them, but is this a standard detail for western shirts???
Anyway, a western with exquisite balance.
You should definitely try this.
SARTO - andante - No.8
A wide version of SARTO's signature denim.
This is the model that was also introduced in stores in 25SS.
However, the color has changed since then.
It's not just a difference in the lightness or darkness of the indigo; we subtly over-dye it to add redness, control the yellowness, and change the "topping" each season.
What was it this season, I wonder...
I forgot. (laughs)
It has a very straight and wide, baggy image.
I think it's the widest among the bottoms that SARTO regularly offers.
And on the side, there's the brand's iconic embroidery.
Although it's baggy denim, the shape is very well-defined, so it doesn't excessively convey an American casual feel.
However, it's also not like trousers made of denim fabric, which have a rigid form with denim placed on them.
I think it's a denim that's "unpretentious" in a SARTO-like way, but still has a refined quality.
SARTO - andante - No.9
Next up is the chino pants that SARTO continues to offer.
They are often released in an unwashed, rigid state, but these are washed.
At the recent SARTO 26SS exhibition, designer Ikeda's chino pants, which he always wears, were displayed as an aging sample, and they were incredibly cool. That memory is still fresh in my mind, and it made me want to wear chino pants again after a long time.
With a relaxed silhouette from the waist down, and SARTO's iconic embroidery on the side.
In the case of denim, the embroidery is a color that matches the main body's contrasting stitching, so it really stands out. But with chino pants, the stitching color is the same as the fabric, creating a very cohesive look.
You can tell the beauty of the shape just by looking at the back shot.
Compared to the denim mentioned earlier, these chinos are slightly tapered.
Embroidery with multiple threads creating a three-dimensional effect, triple stitching running alongside it, embroidery on the back pocket, and a sleek hip silhouette.
This photo alone conveys how great these pants are.
SARTO - andante - No.10
Now, let's talk about three consecutive revers.
First, the cotton reversible coat with reversible stitching that is available in the spring/summer season.
Cotton with reversible stitching???? You must be wondering.
Generally, reversible stitching is a technique performed on double-faced animal hair fabrics like wool double-faced material.
The threads connecting two layers of fabric, called binding threads, are cut, and the double-woven fabric's edge is split into two layers.
Then, the edges of these two layers are folded inward and hand-stitched together.
This is reversible stitching, but it's basically impossible to do this with double-woven cotton. Or rather, it can't be done.
Even splitting double-woven wool melton requires a lot of time and skill, but with double-woven cotton twill, which is much thinner and more flexible, splitting the fabric and hand-stitching it is almost impossible.
I've heard that there are only a handful of factories in Japan that can perform reversible stitching, but for cotton, it's probably generally considered out of the question.
Nevertheless, the team of artisans responsible for SARTO's reversible items continues to work on this cotton reversible stitching.
Because of the aging of artisans and the difficulty in passing on skills in this world, the number of people who can create clothing requiring such techniques is decreasing year by year.
I particularly hear such stories often regarding reversible stitching.
Perhaps we, as apparel retailers, cannot resist such the flow of time and the decline of skills, but I want you to know a little about this.
So, it's not about SARTO's reversible stitching being good or amazing, which is a shallow remark. Instead, I want to expand my imagination and see how far the things we can feel and see from clothing can reach.
We believe we need to pay attention to such aspects as well.
I heard from the SARTO team that the team responsible for SARTO's reversible items is also facing the aforementioned problems, but they are continuing to pass on their skills and take on new challenges to overcome them.
I believe that encountering such sophisticated spirits through clothing will lead to the future.
Although I see reversible stitching in many brands these days, it's not a matter of comparing it to other brands' reversible stitching. Please allow me to introduce SARTO's as it is, understanding this background.
For the record, the side I'm wearing here is the reverse side.
Therefore, the pocket part has a bag-like specification, but it can be accessed from this side as well.
Also, it's not the usual pattern for reversible outerwear where accessing the pocket from either side leads to the same compartment.
It has proper partitions, and each side has its own independent pocket compartment.
This is a welcome feature for me personally.
Because it's cotton with reversible stitching, the seams are light and flexible, so rather than the seam areas acting as a backbone supporting the outline, the entire fabric, including the seam areas, inflates like a "surface" to create the form.
This really highlights SARTO's unique outline.
It's clear that there are no overlapping seam allowances on either the front or back.
The cuff adjusters are also reversible.
SARTO also offers other reversible items, and their construction for reversibility is incredibly clever and well-designed.
This is what it looks like inside out.
I guess this is the front side.
An elegant form that you wouldn't expect from a washed cotton coat.
By cinching the waist with a belt, it takes on a very classical mood.
It's a wonderful coat.
SARTO - andante - No.11
Next up is this jacket.
This is a cashmere jersey reversible jacket with reversible stitching.
This was my first time seeing a jersey with reversible stitching.
While the balance is relatively compact, the double-faced jersey offers just the right amount of stretch, allowing it to move with your body.
The material is cashmere, so it has an incredibly smooth and fluid feel, but being double-faced helps it maintain its shape.
That's why it has this silhouette.
The collar is leather.
When turned inside out, the coloring is a bit softer.
The buttons are like yo-yos, two buttons back-to-back forming one, so they are also reversible.
It's incredibly light, so I don't think you'd get tired even driving a car with it on.
It might be an ideal outerwear for Okayama.
SARTO - andante - No.12
Today's last item is this.
It's reversible stitching, but not reversible.
This arm.
I wonder what era and country this coat is from.
However, it's also timeless, and I think it would still be beautiful even if I saw it 50 years from now.
A witty silhouette that doesn't deviate too far from the authentic framework.
It's very elegant, yet it also has a softness that doesn't burden the wearer with its presence.
Even the gentle curve of the arm when hands are in pockets is beautiful.
Perhaps it's precisely because it doesn't try to dictate how the wearer should move, but rather transforms even natural gestures into something beautiful, that it possesses an "unpretentious" elegance.
In addition to these, a considerable number of double-faced garments will be showcased at the event.
It's almost unheard of to be able to see such a large number of items all at once.
You can certainly look forward to it.
Please look forward to it.
Today, this season's long-awaited power pieces arrived, so I'll introduce them tomorrow.
Suede pants, a hand-woven tweed zip jacket, and a double-faced tailored jacket.
Though they belong to completely different categories, each possesses outstanding quality.
You'll probably want to ask, "Is one brand really doing all of this?"
They are all truly magnificent garments.
I wonder if I can cover it all in one blog post... (laughs)
Please look forward to it.