It’s the very, very end of the season.
This season, I’ve introduced various clothes here at //subjunction.
And, as I wrote the other day, this blog, //subjunction, which I’ve been writing for many years, will soon be ending.
I wonder how many more things I can introduce here, but it will probably be only a few more times at most.
And today, I’m introducing nonnotte.
From his time as a designer for the brand AUBETT, Mr. Sugihara and I have discussed and done many things together.
To convey what we want to tell everyone, we went beyond the existing boundaries of a select shop, collaborating with Kaneta Orimono to develop fabrics for multiple special order products, and he even visited the CASANOVA&CO store more than once every six months.
As someone involved in introducing and selling clothes, I have personally experienced Mr. Sugihara's skill and witnessed his approach to his work, which has given me a great deal of learning and energy as a person in the apparel industry.
I am truly grateful.
And this time.
Mr. Sugihara, the designer of nonnotte, and I have prepared a product for you all to see.
"A Farewell Gift from nonnotte"
nonnotte × CASANOVA&CO
Cachecoeur Cardigan
material _ YAK 64%,WOOL 32%,POLYURETHANE 4%
color _ YAK Natural × TopGray
size _ FREE
This is it.
It's a garment with a heavily woven fabric and a deeply overlapping front.
Although it's called a "Cardigan," I consider it a heavy-duty V-neck sweater or a jacket.
Speaking of cardigans, the MOTHER HAND artisan one I sold recently in "CASANOVA BLACK" is the best balance for me.
So, for me, the nonnotte Cachecoeur Cardigan that I'm introducing to you today is a super heavy V-neck sweater and a garment with outerwear elements.
I believe it's so well-made that you'd be hard-pressed to find something similar if you were looking for this kind of garment.
First, about the material.
As stated above, the composition is 64% yak wool, 32% wool, and 4% polyurethane.
Or rather, for those who frequently check nonnotte's collection, you'll probably recognize that this material is an original brand material, also used for the pullover sweaters in the collection.
You might get a sense of it from the photo above, but...
What appears brown is undyed yak.
What appears charcoal-like is yak and wool "top-dyed" at the raw material stage.
It's composed of the natural hues of undyed material and the complex coloring unique to top-dyeing.
I believe creating such distinctive nuanced colors using natural forces is something unique to Mr. Sugihara of nonnotte.
And furthermore, it is this knitted fabric that pursued nonnotte's originality.
"Physical limit" high density.
That's what it means.
The MOTHER HAND artisan CASANOVA BLACK sweater sold recently also had a very substantial feel, made with 6 strands of silk and mohair.
What nonnotte created is...
First, it's knitted at the highest possible density achievable with a knitting machine.
Then, strong polyurethane elastic threads, twisted into three strands, are inserted into the knitted fabric.
When it's removed from the knitting machine, the powerful elastic threads make it "physically impossible" to increase the density any further.
It's a knitted fabric from nonnotte's original recipe, where the "gaps" in the knit are filled to the extreme.
This thickness, solidity, and ultra-sense of security due to the felt-like denseness.
This is amazing. Seriously.
A special version that utilizes this.
Look again.
Do you understand?
This denseness of stitches.
Even when held up to the light, absolutely no light leaks through from the other side.
Unbelievable. It's knit. Have you ever seen such a thing?
I haven't.
Well, the brand uses this knitted fabric to create relatively easy-to-wear pullover sweaters.
But, while the difficulty of the garment might increase, I decided to have Mr. Sugihara develop it again, aiming for a design that honestly reflects our sense of clothing.
That is,
"A Farewell Gift from nonnotte"
is what it is.
Let me introduce some details.
As the name suggests, the front ends deeply overlap in its design.
The left and right front ends can each be fastened with buttons at the opposite hip.
Since it's designed with the left front, the left front hem can be attached and detached using two exposed buffalo horn buttons on the opposite right hem. There are no pockets.
The main body is made with a "plain knit" fabric.
Therefore, the knitted fabric looks different on the front and back.
The distinctive front edges are made with a "smooth knit" fabric.
And the cuffs and hem are "rib knit."
Thus, it's designed using a total of three types of knitting structures in appropriate places.
This photo shows the front edge and hem side-by-side, and at first glance, they appear to be the same knit fabric.
However, since the front edge and hem are made from different knit fabrics, they look similar, but if you look closely, the stitches are different.
The way these different knitting structures are juxtaposed and change is truly beautiful.
And a major feature of this knit is the front.
Normally, garments like this sweater are made with full-fashioned knitting, which, unlike woven fabrics, means the body and arms are knitted to the exact shape of the pattern design.
We start knitting from the front hem, and all knit stitches are composed of "straight stitches."
Therefore, as you proceed from the hem upwards towards the top of the body, the "plain knit stitches decrease" in the body.
This. Can you understand what I'm trying to convey with this?
The arrow somehow became extremely thick, but don't mind that.
By switching to a smooth knit that runs diagonally on the front edge, the number of plain knit stitches in the body gradually decreases as it goes upwards.
This is called "decreasing stitches," and there are an incredible number of decreases, unlike anything I've seen in a sweater.
And this is what it looks like when the sleeve is spread out.
The armhole is triangular in shape.
As mentioned earlier, this is Mr. Sugihara's original design, utilizing the fact that "knit stitches run in straight lines."
As a result, when worn, it creates a "nonnotte silhouette" that is unexpectedly elegant for a sweater.
By the way, Mr. Sugihara says that technically, the connection of the decreases on the yellow line on the lower part of the armhole to the body is quite challenging.
As mentioned, the red line on the opposite side also requires simultaneous decreases.
However, thanks to that effort, it achieves a silhouette that is on a level unimaginable for a knit garment.
The sleeves transition directly from plain knit to rib knit.
When you fasten the buttons on the hem, it looks like this.
This is what it looks like when the left front side is unfastened.
Wearing it with both buttons unfastened isn't a bad idea either.
I don't think there are many heavy sweaters like this that can be easily adjusted to the temperature by putting them on and taking them off, but in that regard, it has a very high utility value, right?
Among the many sweaters in the world, designer Sugihara has put a lot of thought into this.
The inner buttons are also two buffalo horn buttons, just like the exposed ones.
The back has a slightly higher collar design.
Inside.
Looking at the back reveals the structure of this knit at a glance.
This armhole shape has a very positive effect.
When you lower your arms, the apex of the armhole's triangle pushes the body, creating a beautiful drape in the garment.
This is something to behold.
Wearing it. It's one size fits all.
I'm 167cm tall, quit smoking three months ago, became healthy, and went from 52kg to 54kg.
I usually wear size 3 in nonnotte.
This sweater is a one-size-fits-all concept, but if I were to compare it to the brand's usual sizes, it would be somewhere between 4 and 5.
It leans slightly closer to 4, like 4.4 or 4.5.
It's a bit big for my small frame, but Mr. Sugihara recommended putting it in the washing machine and then the dryer.
So, I honestly followed his advice and put it in a gas dryer (Kanta-kun).
And then, it shrunk a bit and became a better size balance.
The wearing photos are of it brand new, so it's a bit big for me, but that's a matter of preference, and I think most people can wear it quite well.
The size measurements are listed in the online store, so please check there.
The beautiful drape of the body, unbelievable for a sweater.
The heavy knit is double-layered around the stomach, so it's quite warm and truly reassuring.
I think it will be a tremendously powerful ally in winter.
This is what it looks like with the buttons open.
When wearing it with the buttons open, it's best to subtly pull back the shoulders a bit.
Conversely, when wearing it with the buttons fastened, it's best to wear it snugly over the shoulders in the front.
When the front is open, the amount of space in the back increases, and the drape becomes larger.
Looking at it this way, I think it would be incredibly cute for women to wear it oversized.
Well, if you're interested, please take a look.
I think everyone will feel the robustness of the knit fabric, and it can probably be used even more casually than a sweatshirt.
Above all, it's warm, and I think it's a garment with a lot of good points.
A farewell gift from nonnotte.
I hope you'll consider it.