Hello.
This is Noguchi from CASANOVA&CO.
Today, I’m talking about this event, starting this weekend.
WONDER ROOM ESSE
collection 003 launch event
2026.02.28 (SAT) - 2026.03.08 (SUN)
As I mentioned the other day, starting with collection 003, WONDER ROOM will be adding the word "ESSE" and deepening its expression as WONDER ROOM ESSE.
It’s not that the brand's thoughts or goals have changed, but rather a challenge to the "essence" of being sharper yet gently enveloping people.
In other words, it's the start of phase 2.
While I pride myself on being one of the first few members if WONDER ROOM ESSE had a fan club, there's one item that convinced me this phase 2, or "WR/ESSE," will become essential for many people.
Interdimensional jersey pants.
That is [The Step] from [PEBBLE], which I'm introducing today.
WONDER ROOM ESSE
The Step
material _ [PEBBLE] cotton 100%
color _ BLACK
size _ S,M,L
WONDER ROOM ESSE
The Step
material _ [PEBBLE] cotton 100%
color _ OLIVE
size _ S,M,L
Similar to the previous WONDER ROOM, WONDER ROOM ESSE also gives names to all its uniquely developed fabrics, but this time, the styles also have names.
In other words, it's the "The Step" style made from the "PEBBLE" fabric.
Both the fabric and the style are incredibly embodying of WR/ESSE, so let me introduce them.
First, about the fabric.
PEBBLE means a small stone.
As I've mentioned many times in my blog, Mr. Kakoi's fabric development style for WONDER ROOM ESSE is quite rigorous.
Based on Mr. Kakoi's experience, he tries every possible option and repeats tests countless times, including wearing and washing them.
The terms "exhaustive search" or "roller operation" seem most appropriate.
And within that process, Mr. Kakoi accumulates points that worked well and points that didn't.
He combines carefully selected elements from the accumulated knowledge gained through long hours and numerous tests, like stacking pebbles one by one.
PEBBLE was born from this process.
I'll summarize the characteristics of PEBBLE briefly.
If you're looking for more detailed information, please visit us on Saturday, February 28th, or Sunday, March 1st. (laughs)
The raw material for PEBBLE is Tanguis cotton.
This is actually the same raw material as the slub jersey "SHADOW" that has been available since the brand's first season.
However, since it goes through different spinning processes to become different yarn counts, if we consider it based on the yarn, PEBBLE and SHADOW use different yarns.
Well, it's like siblings with the same genes.
In the case of SHADOW, slub yarn is created using a uniquely developed machine that forcibly creates unevenness in high-quality raw material. In the case of PEBBLE, once the yarn is spun, it undergoes MVS processing to give the yarn strength.
I personally thought MVS was a spinning method, but apparently, there's also an option for MVS as a post-spinning process for the yarn.
Yarn processed with MVS has reduced fuzz on the surface, similar to MVS spinning, and improved pilling resistance.
The strong and beautiful original spun Tanguis MVS processed yarn, created in this way, is fed in pairs into an improved loop-wheeling machine and subjected to extremely high-density knitting.
Although the yarn count is said to be finer than SHADOW's yarn, due to the paired feeding and extremely high-density loop-wheeling, it boasts a resilient thickness and excellent kickback.
Furthermore, the MVS processing eliminates the "fluffy" feel typical of jersey on the fabric surface, allowing the tightly woven threads to be clearly seen from deep within the weave.
Please look at this photo again, understanding all of the above.
You can see the clear weave lines with slub-like unevenness running perpendicular to them.
This unevenness arises because the threads have nowhere to escape when the knitting density is pushed to its limit. However, for this PEBBLE, the knitting density is adjusted to just the right point where this unevenness might or might not appear.
If the density is too loose, or if it's too tight and the unevenness becomes too prominent, PEBBLE's quality would not stand out.
This is the skill of the artisan who created the jacquard fleece of FRIEND and EGG.
I've heard that he has worked on jersey fleece materials for countless high-end brands, but in my opinion, PEBBLE's refined appearance is unparalleled.
I believe it's a revolutionary jersey with no existing comparison.
Mr. Kakoi sent it again this time.
Just a small portion of the many test fabrics Mr. Kakoi creates, which ultimately led to the development of PEBBLE. (laughs)
Yarn tests, count tests, density tests, processing tests,...
Based on those results, PEBBLE was developed by thoroughly verifying and determining the compatibility of each element.
It may sound simple when put into words, but as mentioned earlier, Mr. Kakoi exhausted and eliminated all other possibilities before arriving at this one.
No one can imitate such fabric development, and that's why an unrivaled jersey was born.
The birth of PEBBLE this time feels essential to establishing "ESSE"'s style.
If PEBBLE hadn't existed, ESSE might not have been fully realized.
I believe that the style WR/ESSE aims for and the existence of PEBBLE are inseparable.
So, why was it so indispensable for the "ESSE" style?
I believe it's because it enabled expressions that are impossible with ordinary jersey fabric.
In other words, it allowed WR/ESSE, which doesn't have the option of woven fabric, to challenge the expression of "making jersey not look like jersey."
And what emerged from that is the pant called "The Step."
The Step by PEBBLE is, in a word, "jersey slacks."
In other words, purely in terms of shape, it's the image of slacks expressed by WR/ESSE, which doesn't have the option of woven fabric.
Let me briefly introduce the specifications.
From this photo, I think you can grasp the ambiance of these pants.
The incredibly beautiful triple stitching on the outseam.
I've never seen such crisp stitching on jersey fabric before...
And the outseam bends at an angle, following the angle of the slash pocket opening.
By aligning the outseam with the pocket opening, there's no unnecessary bulk or unevenness when the top edge of the pocket opening flows into the inside of the waistband. I believe this specification is to make PEBBLE's thickness and the casualness unique to jersey fabric look neater.
Personally, I thought it was a very Hamada-esque detail.
The pocket opening is bar-tacked.
The bottom end of the belt loop flows into the waistband.
The back pockets are single-welt.
These are completely slack-style specifications.
The crotch seam is elegantly finished, in contrast to the triple stitching on the outseam and inseam.
If it were too much, it would give off a workwear feel.
This balance between inclusion and exclusion is quite exquisite.
The waist is fully equipped with belt loops, elastic, and a drawcord.
Furthermore, woven fabric is applied only to the inside to support the hold around the waist.
Combined with the fully-equipped style, the fact that it's designed to be worn at a proper waist position clearly indicates that The Step is not considered just a pair of easy pants.
Although it has a zip fly, it's not an open front, so you might find it catches a bit around your thighs when putting it on.
However, rest assured that the elastic in the waist stretches well.
While slightly tapered, they feel almost straight when worn.
This morning was quite hectic, and I was taking photos while on the phone with Mr. Kakoi, but just hanging it on a hanger yields this form.
It's amazing, isn't it?
You want to try them on, don't you?
You want to see them on me, don't you?
...I'll take photos tomorrow. My apologies.
But I think everyone will be moved when they wear these, so please look forward to it.
At first glance, they don't look like jersey, but they're incredibly comfortable with the stretch and recovery unique to jersey, and if they get dirty or sweaty, you can just throw them in the washing machine.
You can smile and accept your beloved cat jumping on your lap with a freshly pooped bottom.
They pair perfectly with shirts and jackets, yet perform exceptionally well at the park or on athletic equipment.
They're stress-free even during long hours of sitting on business trips, yet they maintain a neat appearance.
Moreover, despite being 100% cotton jersey, wrinkles are barely a concern.
And they can be worn year-round, with a dashing silhouette.
I think they are perfect slacks, and I believe they can only be made with Mr. Kakoi's jersey fabric.
We love fashion, and of course, I still believe that finding joy in expertly coordinating and wearing various favorite clothes is a constant.
Even so, I believe that for many people, PEBBLE's The Step will be a garment that remains in their closet 10 years from now, and one that they will accumulate in different colors or repurchase.
It's that intuitively cool, and its versatility in daily life is overwhelmingly broad.
This is achieved because the fabric of this one garment is PEBBLE, and its shape is The Step.
Mr. Kakoi's fabric development, which defies convention, and Mr. Hamada's design, which interprets it to create a timelessly strong form.
Someone from the WR/ESSE team (either Mr. Kakoi, Mr. Hamada, or Mr. Okamoto) once said something that has stayed with me:
"Even if the fabric is tough enough to last 10 years, the clothes themselves need to be even tougher."
And so.
While WR/ESSE is a brand that produces exceptional jersey fleece, what they sell isn't the fabric itself, nor is it the technique.
It's ultimately the "clothing" that makes extensive use of these elements.
That's why Mr. Kakoi introduced various industrial sewing machines to his atelier and welcomed skilled sewers to his production team, aiming for "toughness" in the form of stitching that is even more robust than the fabric, and so beautiful that you'll want to wear it anytime.
Mr. Kakoi created an environment where he could oversee the entire sewing process of WR/ESSE garments, witnessing firsthand the difficulties of sewing with special fabrics and complex specifications. He then channeled all that passion to us buyers, leading to new creations.
Mr. Hamada gives form to Mr. Kakoi's fabrics, believing that for clothes to be tough, they must transcend eras, trends, and even changes in the wearer's heart. To achieve this, he questions conventional designs, patterns, and existing value standards, pursuing the true meaning of "beauty" and "coolness."
I feel that WONDER ROOM ESSE has become a brand that doesn't just create
"clothes made from exceptional jersey fleece,"
but rather a brand that creates
"lifestyles through styles that can only be created with clothes made from exceptional jersey fleece."
PEBBLE's The Step is a garment that embodies this.
Tomorrow, I will also introduce a worn state of it, paired with a T-shirt, which is another garment that embodies the WR/ESSE style.