I haven't been able to introduce Araki Yuu at all recently, but...
There's something really good out there, so I'd like to introduce it to you.
However, recently there have been quite a few products that we have not been able to introduce, even though we have received them multiple times.
The clothes are made with great care and are "handcrafted," not factory-produced, and with extremely detailed specifications, so it takes a long time to make each piece and the brand is unable to produce large quantities.
So, recently, thanks to people all over the country who are waiting for new stock to arrive, items have been selling out quickly.
I am finally introducing them on this blog, but in fact, some of the items have already sold out.
But I thought carefully about my order and the brand made it very carefully, so I wanted to record that.
So, knicker bockers, although they're already sold out.
I had them make a total of six pieces in sizes 0 to 2.
Araki Yuu
Knicker Bockers
face material _ WOOL 50%, SILK 49%, POLYESTER 1%
Lining material: 100% cotton
button _ BLACK BRASS
color _ DARK KHAKI
*As mentioned above, this item is already sold out.
this.
Araki Yuu has an original fabric with a very moody feel, and we had them make the Knickerbockers using it.
The hem has five tucks and an adjuster with a black painted brass buckle.
I myself am extremely impressed with the exquisite craftsmanship of the Knicker Bockers, which are also my uniform pants.
The last one in particular was well-made and the fabric was good, so it had a really good feel to it.
I hope that those who purchase it will use it a lot.
And this is what was delivered this time.
Araki Yuu
Motorcycle Jacket
Material: 100% linen
color _ BEIGE (unstained)
size_1
※Sold out
this.
Just a few days ago, I took a photo of the Motorcycle Jacket with the intention of posting it on this blog, but it ended up just hanging in the corner of the store.
Then, on that day, a customer who happened to like the item came in, and since they had only ordered one item, it was immediately SOLD OUT.
I also really like Araki Yuu's Motorcycle Jacket, and a few years ago I was only ordering Motorcycle Jackets as outerwear, and customers who are fans of Araki Yuu were always like, "This again?", so I've been intentionally not ordering them recently.
So, for the first time in a long while, I had them make the Motorcycle Jacket.
As stated, the material is 100% linen.
However, this is uncolored.
You probably see a lot of linen fabric, but in fact, it's very rare to come across "100% undyed linen."
This is apparently related to the quality of the raw materials, but undyed fabric is rarely sold.
A unique color that is a mix of light gray and beige. The color of the fiber itself.
In addition, this fabric...
We...
100% linen woven by Kaneta Orimono.
At this point, you can expect incredible things.
My heart is pounding with anticipation.
And, and.
This 100% linen is undyed and in raw form.
Grey fabric is fabric that has not been processed in any way after it has been woven.
Normally, fabrics distributed in the market undergo a process called "finishing," but this is the fabric as it is after it has been woven.
And it's made with Kaneta textile quality.
At the swatch stage, the linen is extremely stiff and brittle.
Also, due to the nature of the fabric, it shrinks a lot when washed.
However, although the linen was extremely stiff when it was in the fabric stage, it wasn't very thick, and I imagined that if used properly, it could be used to make something amazing for this time of year or the seasons to come.
Then, with a suggestion from the brand, we decided to have Kaneta's undyed linen undergo a strong washing process twice, once as a fabric and once after the product was completed.
As a result, the fabric became softer while retaining the characteristics of the fibers and the fabric, and we are excited to see what the future holds for it.
Also, the fabric was lighter and cooler than I expected.
When you look at it from a different angle and with light shining on it...
Do you understand?
The light shines through and the air flows through very well.
The reason I asked them to make a Motorcycle Jacket using this fabric was because I wanted them to create something in the shape of an outerwear piece, made from a fabric similar to a thin summer shirt.
If it's a thin shirt, it would be good for summer too.
But, doesn't that mean everyone has quite a few variations now?
So, even when you actually wear it, I think the "level of excitement" is probably somewhat within the realm of imagination.
Of course, this isn't the case if it's a brand you've never tried before.
But I also think Araki Yuu's clothes are aimed at people who already own several pieces of Araki Yuu clothing, because I'm a huge repeat customer myself.
Up until now, we have sold several shirts by Araki Yuu in our store, and with that in mind, I ordered this with the image in mind of "something you won't find anywhere else."
I think that a piece of clothing that has the shape of outerwear but is made from shirt fabric will make the act of putting it on very enjoyable, and I think that this will lead to more opportunities to wear it.
I believe that the more opportunities people have to wear the clothes, the more they will be able to fully experience the quality of Araki Yuu's clothing.
I think that the better the clothes are, the best thing to do is to just use and wear them.
Of course, in the world of clothing, there is a category of items that are worn once, then dry-cleaned and put away in the closet.
But Araki Yuu, or at least the clothes we sell in our store, are not like that.
I believe these types of clothes really shine when worn and used.
No, this.
I think it was really cool.
Even in the summer, it's best to wear it over a tank top or T-shirt as a shirt.
And if you sweat, you can wash it without any hesitation, since it's made from Kaneta fabric.
This Motorcycle Jacket can be worn with either a double front or a single front.
Well, my recommendation is to just let it slide through your sleeves and not button them up.
The best look is with a stand-up collar and lapels that fall naturally with gravity.
The length of the dress is shorter at the back, based on Araki Yuu's image.
The cuffs and both ends of the pockets are hand-sewn with silk thread to secure them in place.
The stitch pitch of the sewing machine is also very fine.
A motorcycle jacket with no lining.
You can experience Kaneta's undyed raw linen against your skin, and because there is no lining, you can fully enjoy Araki Yuu's meticulous stitching on the back.
Depending on the fabric, the armholes may be folded over, but this time they were made with white piping.
The front has brass buttons, while the back has machined buffalo horn buttons.
Araki Yuu's clothes have a serial number that indicates which piece each is made by the brand.
This is common to everything.
And now we get to the main topic.
The items shown here are what we currently have in stock.
Two types of pants.
Please take a closer look.
Araki Yuu
New Classic Pants
Material: 100% linen
Color: BEIGE (unstained)
size_0,1,2
※Sold out
this.
As mentioned earlier, the fabric is undyed linen woven by Kaneta Orimono.
In my mind, I had these pants made with the idea in mind that a T-shirt and these pants would be a perfectly acceptable outfit, even when the heat becomes unbearable.
In terms of the shape of the pants, I think they are the newest addition to Araki Yuu's line?
It has no pleats at the waist and falls straight from top to bottom.
I thought that the straight-cut shape of these pants would bring out the "cool, flowing" feel of the fabric, so I ordered a pair called New Classic Pants.
The front of these pants is no-tuck and looks relatively simple.
Button-up placket with brass buttons.
Only the top button is made of three-hole brass.
The rest is a two-hole brass button.
I don't know if you can see it in the photo, but the buttons are sewn on very securely.
Even the buttonholes are hand-sewn. Because it's Araki Yuu.
Usually, buttonholes are made using a buttonhole machine, but that's not the case with Araki Yuu.
Cut slits into the fabric and form buttonholes using silk thread.
By the way, buttonholes also have a front and back, and in the photo above, the back is where the top button is, and the front buttonhole is visible on the button fly placket.
And here's a photo from the front:
The top button can be seen from the front.
The button fly holes allow you to see the back from the front.
The part of the buttonhole that is visible from the front is the front, and the back is visible from the back.
I think there are many people who don't know this, but this is the theory.
However, at Araki Yuu, we do this by hand rather than using a sewing machine.
With a buttonhole machine, you can make one buttonhole in just 10 seconds.
It would probably take 100 times longer to make a buttonhole by hand.
In the clothing industry, phrases like "no one looks at those parts" are often used, which leads to more and more streamlining and speeding up, which in turn leads to the simplification of clothes and the standardization of details, but in a way, I feel that this way of thinking places too much emphasis on the production and planning sides.
In fact, clothes that have been carefully crafted are more comfortable to wear and last much longer.
However, even though it is the sellers who should be communicating such information, many are unaware of or do not know about these details.
That's why I think phrases like "no one looks at that part" have become so widespread, and things are becoming more and more simplified.
In fact, if you compare simply made clothes with Araki Yuu's clothes, they are completely different.
I think anyone who sees it will feel that way.
Even the inside of the placket, which is invisible once worn, is on a whole different level. Araki Yuu.
Undyed linen, white cotton piping and facings, and light brown silk for the hand-sewn holes.
When you look at each one, the contrast is very beautiful and they all look very balanced.
In fact, if it looks this good to the eye, it's actually pretty sturdy.
If you look at the back and feel reassured, then that's what it means.
The brass top button has a leather button behind it.
A bundle of security.
Next, the pockets.
The linen fabric makes the fine stitching of the main body stand out even more, and the edges of the waist pocket opening have hand-sewn reinforcing stitches.
I'm sewing right at the edge of the waistband.
The same goes for the bottom of the pocket opening.
The opening of the front placket is also secured with a fastener.
back.
What follows is full of awesome elements.
Don't you think there's something unusual about the appearance? lol
First, here.
Nowadays, I don't see pants with this kind of switching anywhere else except Araki Yuu.
The waistband ends at the center back and is joined by a gusset made of the same fabric.
This change allows for adjustments to be made to accommodate changes in the amount of fabric around the waist when adjusting the cinch back adjuster at the waist.
However, usually, with pants that can be adjusted with a cinch back, I think the best you can do is make the waist belt V-shaped to create some space.
Moreover, stopping the waist belt halfway and switching to a separate part like this would be extremely time-consuming, so I don't think anyone would think of doing something like this.
Or rather, I think that this is a detail that can only be achieved by a brand that conceives, designs, and sews itself.
Thanks to this feature, the fabric will fit neatly even if you tighten the cinch back as much as you can.
If you want to make it as small as possible, it's a good idea to fold this gusset switching part.
Also, the way this fabric is handled is incredible.
It has this shape pattern.
Isn't it straight?
It's rounded. This is really difficult. You have to sew evenly and neatly on both sides.
Rather than sewing the edges of the seam straight, they are rounded slightly so that even if the fabric is tightly packed with a cinch back, it gradually releases towards the roundness of the buttocks.
Super excellent.
More than anything, I'm amazed at how they managed to sew so beautifully, given all these curves.
Cinch back.
Like the buttons, it has an original brass cinch back.
It is an original product made by the brand, so it has a needle cinch.
This is cool too.
The fabric on the opposite side of the adjustment part.
This section has linen on the front and white cotton on the back.
Araki Yuu judges the best fabric to use for this facing at the time of production depending on the outer fabric, and this time I think he chose cotton fabric so that it would stay in place properly when the needle cinch is inserted and wouldn't become mushy.
Next up, here.
Flap pocket.
The shape of this flap itself is something you don't see very often these days, but more than that...
I am,
I think "a certain part" is the worst.
That is...
this.
Both welts on the opening of this pocket.
It's not just double welts.
It has a specification called "Nanjing beaded edge".
While this may exist in the tailoring world with elaborate pocket openings, I don't think it would be possible to find it in this type of clothing.
What's more, this detail is not a technique that Araki Yuu has been using for a long time, but rather a pocket opening design that has only recently begun to be featured on clothing in the last year or so.
In the past, even branded pocket openings like this had double welts.
But now, that's not the case...
So, what I want to say is...
Araki Yuu's clothes have evolved since before.
In this age where emphasis is placed on rationalizing and producing things in increasingly short periods of time, specifications are becoming more complex and labor-intensive.
We can't make a large number of items, but there is always someone who will wear each piece of clothing.
That's why I feel a strong sense of "responsibility to produce" each piece, to enhance the individuality of each garment.
There are many different kinds of clothes in the world, but I think it's very important that the people who make these kinds of clothes are known and properly evaluated.
I believe it is because of brands like this that Japanese clothing manufacturing and the value of clothing can be maintained.
The distinctive feature of Nanjing beading is that, compared to normal double beading, both ends are folded into a triangle.
It's an old tailoring technique, where each edge of the fabric wrapping the pocket opening is folded inward, resulting in a triangle.
And the other side too.
And the hand-sewn reinforcement is still present here.
There's a lot of hands involved.
back.
The inside is unlined, as the primary consideration is to ensure that the pants are comfortable to wear during the summer.
Feel the touch of Kaneta's undyed, raw linen to the fullest on the skin of your lower body.
Both the outside seams and the inside seams are felled.
The crotch has split piping.
It's hard to tell from the photo, but I think it feels really good.
This linen.
Also, I noticed this while taking the photo.
Waist belt.
I took the photos in a straight line, can you tell?
From the top button position, the waistband curves in the middle and then tapers towards the hips.
What is the intention behind this??
This is the first time I've seen something like this.
Do you understand?
Maybe to improve the fit around the waist?
Even the waist belt is intricate. It's not ordinary.
I'll ask him next time.
Araki Yuu
Cropped Pants
Material: 100% cotton
color _ DYED DARK
size_0,1,2
※Sold out
Next up, this.
They're called Cropped Pants.
This is the first time in about six years that we have ordered and stocked these pants.
The length is a little shorter than the New Classic Pants mentioned above, but the inseam is longer than the Knicker Bockers that we usually carry.
And yeah, this fabric is really good too.
This is deadstock "100% Sea Island cotton".
Originally, the brand had a pure white herringbone fabric made from 100% Sea Island cotton.
The herringbone pattern on the white fabric was very beautiful. Also, because the raw cotton was high-quality Sea Island cotton, it had a natural luster.
However, it was quite white, so I decided to ask the brand to dye the fabric.
The colour is dark.
I wanted them to make pants out of Sea Island cotton, so I thought that if they were pure white, they would be too white.
Then they dyed it a color called "DYED DARK."
The impression it gives is a mix of navy and charcoal gray.
However, Sea Island cotton has a natural luster and the raw cotton is fine, so when made into pants it feels perfect against the skin.
Also, originally it was a herringbone (twill) weave, so I thought it would be a little thicker than shirting fabric.
So when it becomes pants, it's super comfortable.
I guarantee it will feel amazing.
The Cropped Pants feature deep in-tucks on the front.
The pocket specifications are different from the New Classic Pants mentioned above, with slash-type pocket openings.
The front buttons on this model are also machined from brass, just like the previous one.
Of course, the buttonholes are also hand made.
Even Araki Yuu's belt loops are out of the ordinary.
First of all, there are various ways to attach belt loops, but at Araki Yuu, we use the "pour-in" method on the top and bottom, which I think is the most time-consuming method.
The more casual the pants, the more likely it is that the belt loops are simply folded at both ends and sewn on from above to the body and waistband, but this is not the case with these pants.
It may be difficult to see in the photo, but the top and bottom ends of the belt loops are designed to tuck into the inside of the waistband.
This is called "pouring."
As far as I know, there are probably very few 100% cotton pants that have belt loops that are tucked into the waistband.
By doing this, the cut ends of the belt loops are not visible, so it looks completely different.
It speaks to the high quality of the clothes.
Furthermore...
The belt loop itself.
A belt loop is a completely functional part, and beauty is not a particularly important detail; it is a part that was born out of necessity.
So the way it's made is quite unique.
Did you cut the fabric into strips and then glue on some fusible interfacing?
I remember sticking it on, and then putting it into the sewing machine to make belt loops.
And that's how you create a super long belt loop.
Cut the long belt loop according to the standard.
As far as I know, most belt loops like that are overlocked, so if you look at the back of the belt loop, it's obvious.
Take another look at Araki Yuu's belt loop.
Isn't it so beautiful?
I'm sure this is made by pressing the fabric with an iron, folding it neatly, and then sewing it together with a lockstitch sewing machine.
The production speed is obviously completely different from mass-produced items, but even so, the beauty of the belt loop itself is completely different.
Also, in most cases, I don't think it's likely that the sewing thread will break, but if you have a belt loop that is overlocked on the back, if the overlock thread on the back does break, the fabric will begin to fray.
As far as I know, there aren't many belt loops with a straight stitch on the back like this.
This is the kind of detail that only a brand that is particular about craftsmanship can achieve.
back.
In the photo it looks navy, but in reality it's not quite that navy.
Like the previous pants, these have an adjustable cinch and a gusset at the center back.
The back pocket is shaped like a home plate.
Even when the fabric is dyed, the natural luster of the quality of the materials is preserved.
Of course, the pocket openings are hand-tight.
I think it's really amazing that they can incorporate this feature into all their clothing.
Because all of Araki Yuu's clothes are like this.
When I see how they continue to create products at this level, mastering even more advanced techniques and continually refining the quality of their clothes, it really makes me feel that the world of clothing is a great place.
The stitching on the back transition is also truly amazing.
You'll literally want to follow the stitching with your eyes.
It's packed with advanced techniques that will make you want to see it all.
And look at this photo.
The fabric is dense and made from high quality materials, but the shape is already very visible even when it's on a hanger.
This is not only due to the quality of the fabric, but also Araki Yuu's clothing making techniques.
The outline starts off voluminous around the waist and legs at the front, then tapers off suddenly.
In the photo the shape is very clear and it looks hard, but in reality it's not like that at all.
I think you'll be impressed with the fit, comfort, and sense of security.
This is how Araki Yuu makes clothes.
It's unfortunate that we won't be producing many of these and only a very limited number of people will be able to get their hands on one, but we hope that those who are able to own one will be able to experience the Araki Yuu quality to their heart's content.