PROFILE
In 2001, he launched "NEXUSⅦ." in New York, and in 2014, he opened a directly-managed store "V.E.L." in Sendagaya, Tokyo, offering a wide range of clothes under the concept of "MULTIPLE MANIAXX & TECHNIXX". Currently, he is also launching "THE 15" PROJECT, an aid project to save his hometown, Chiba Prefecture, from the damage caused by Typhoon No. 15. For more information, please visit their Instagram account.@nexus7konno
PROFILE
He is the director of "Belle Belgin," a leading vintage clothing store in Japan, and "and Belle Belgin," which opened this June, also on Tonchan-dori in Harajuku. Recently, he has been collaborating with various brands using his knowledge of vintage clothing. His YouTube channel, which he hosts, has become a hot topic among vintage clothing lovers.
PROFILE
He works as a planner at Toyo Enterprises, a prestigious reproduction company that now has a worldwide reputation. He has a considerable knowledge of vintage wear, having spent many years researching military and work wear. He is also knowledgeable about detailed details such as fabrics and sewing. He participated in the planning of the "L-2 BROWN SPECIAL" and provided accurate advice.
A prototype sample of brown twill, only one of which has ever been seen, is reprinted.
The "L-2 BROWN SPECIAL" was made using brown twill fabric from the 60's and produced by "Buzz Lixons". The unusual atmosphere and high degree of perfection can be seen in this photo.
Please tell us why you decided to create the "L-2 BROWN SPECIAL".
Konno:Yutaka has had a brown L-2 for some time, so I knew of its existence. The mil-spec L-2 that everyone is familiar with, which was issued to the U.S. Army Air Corps, is olive drab, so I think it is probably a proto-sample, made during the prototype stage of test samples. I have never seen anything else like it. This time, we miraculously found dead stock brown twill for flight jackets in the U.S., so we decided to make it with the help of Toyo Enterprises, using Yutaka's original as a sample.
In the foreground is a vintage L-2, and in the back is a prototype L-2 owned by Mr. Fujiwara. Although the color of the front is different, the inner lining is the same color and material.
I was first surprised to learn that Brown's L-2 existed.
Fujiwara:I didn't know the L-2 came in brown until I saw this (my own vintage piece). I happened to find it at a thrift store, and although the details were simplistic and there was no test sample tag, I was convinced by the lining that this was the right one and bought it.
I guess they are still rare.
Fukutomi:As we are a BUZZ RICKSON'S company, we stock a variety of vintage flight jackets as reference material, but this L-2 is the first time we have seen one of these. It is very rare to find a test sample using the same brown fabric as this dead stock.
Brown outer fabric with a slightly faded color. The hand-held feel seems a bit lighter than the fabric used for the traditional L-2. No epaulettes on the shoulders.
I see in your archives here that some of the nylons are discolored. Is it possible that the olive drab has discolored to brown?
Fukutomi:Nylon was commercialized by DuPont in 1939. Around the time this jacket was made in the 1940s, it was a cutting-edge material, so it was not yet perfected and was prone to discoloration, but this brown has not changed color.
Fujiwara:And this one doesn't even have the epaulettes, oxygene tabs, and cigarette pocket on the left sleeve that it is supposed to have.
Konno:In creating this "L2 BROWN SPECIAL," we interviewed various intellectuals and collectors, and most of them said that it might be what is called a proto-sample before the stage of making test samples. A test sample would have a big tag to signify that, but there is no trace of it. It is probably a coincidence, but this unfinishedness is beautiful. That is why we wanted to create this sample as the basis for this project.
L-2 BROWN SPECIAL" was produced using brown twill for flight jackets found in an American warehouse. It is characterized by its dark brown color.
L2 BROWN SPECIAL" is the dead stock flight twill.
Konno:It all started with an offer from an American dealer. I received an e-mail saying that they had found some old materials and fabrics from an old military factory in a certain part of the United States. I bought some of the materials, and the e-mail mentioned a flight twill in an engine color. I thought it was odd because of its age and asked for a photo of it.
So that's what this brown fabric is for.
Konno:Yes, when I saw that picture, it was dark brown no matter how I looked at it, so I asked him to keep it because I would buy all of them the next time I went to the US.
Fujiwara:I have never heard of such a rare flight twill being found dead stock. I think it's a really special fabric. The thickness and tone of the fabric is a little different from the L-2 prototype sample I have.
Fukutomi: Although the color and fabric texture are different from Mr. Fujiwara's L-2, our fabric analysis showed that it is definitely a twill made for flight jackets.
Do you actually have military items using this fabric?
Konno:Yes, I have it. It is brown, so I can't determine if it is N-3A or N-3B, but I own a test sample of the same model using this fabric. Also, for some reason, I've only seen N-2 hoods made of the same fabric.
Fujiwara:We have sold these in the past at "Berberzine."
I see, I understand how rare the fabric is.
Konno:So we decided to ask Toyo Enterprises, a company that is unrivaled in the field of flight jacket reproductions, to make a product based on Yutaka's L-2.
Q. Have NEXUSⅦ. and Toyo Enterprises ever collaborated with each other before?
Konno:I was connected with Shuzo Kita of "Gallery 1950" when we collaborated, and I have only had my work produced twice for "Original Fake," which I did with artist KAWS, but this is the first time for "NEXUS VII.
The zipper is the same as the original, with a spring cam-lock zipper at the crown. TOYO ENTERPRISES has faithfully reissued the original.
Fujiwara:I like that the "L-2 BROWN SPECIAL" uses the same springy zipper as the brown L-2 I own.
What is a spring clipper?
Konno:This is a spring cam-lock zipper made by Crown, which was used for L-2s and other items in the 40s and 50s. It is a popular vintage zipper with a short production period, and Toyo Enterprises, Inc. has produced a perfect reissue of this zipper, from the manufacturing method to the materials.
Fukutomi:Crown's zippers are made in a unique way. While most zippers are usually made by pressing the teeth, Crown has consistently used a high-pressure casting method.
Fujiwara:The quality is comparable to vintage, isn't it? What are the advantages of that high-pressure casting method?
Fukutomi:Using this manufacturing method, each part of the teeth can be rounded, so they mesh well and open and close smoothly. However, the manufacturing cost and efficiency are extremely low compared to normal zippers, as zinc heated to 600°C is poured into the zipper. That is why it disappeared in the 1960s, when other companies took over the zipper market share.
Two-stage ribbing with a knit pattern that changes in the middle. Sleeve ribs are double-layered with moderate tension for a great fit.
Konno:Not only the zipper, but the herringbone tape has the perfect atmosphere. And then there is the two-tiered ribbing. There are very few companies in Japan that can make this kind of ribbing, right?
Fukutomi:That's right. We have known the company that makes this rib since the days when it was a company called Minato Sho, the predecessor of Toyo Enterprises. At that time, the company was manufacturing items such as ska-jans and actually wholesaling them to the U.S. military's PX. We have been a trusted company that has been producing ribs for us since that time.
Do you use Mr. Fujiwara's vintage as a base for the size?
Konno:No, we sampled Yutaka's original L-2, but we asked Toyo Enterprises to produce it according to their size specifications. The sizes are 38, 42, and 46.
Fujiwara:When I visited the exhibition, I was quite torn between 42 and 46. Vintage pieces run a little small, so I thought if I could wear a larger size, that would be possible. Why did you decide on this size?
Konno:According to Toyo Enterprises' size specs, the 40 and 42, 44 and 46 lengths were the same, so I thought this size pitch would be good.
Fujiwara:I see, so that's what you meant. I am still wondering which size I should choose, 42 for the high street or 46 for the oversize (laugh).
Konno:I think they're both great. Be happy with this one and give that vintage to yourself. (lol) There is a limited amount of fabric and there won't be a next time, so go for both sizes.
Probably not next time! L-2 clad in deadstock brown twill is complete.
NEXUSⅦ. × BUZZ RICKSON'S
L-2 BROWN SPECIAL ¥78,000+TAX
Using a miraculously discovered dead stock brown twill, the brown L-2, a prototype sample of a phantom, was reissued. Production was handled by Buzz Rixons, a manufacturer of high-quality flight jackets. This is a piece that has been thoroughly produced using a sample from the valuable archives owned by Mr. Fujiwara of Berberzin. Limited quantities are available due to limited fabrics.
