New Era is a brand worn by influential people.

I have an image of Mr. Takezaki wearing a hat on a regular basis.

I was a baseball boy, so caps have been a familiar item for me since I was a child. At first I wore them as a uniform, but gradually they became a fashion item in my mind.

When did you change from uniforms to fashion?

When I was in high school . I was reading "BOON" magazine at the time, and American casual, vintage clothing, and backwoods styles were all the rage. One of the magazines had a snapshots section, and I saw a guy wearing a New Era baseball cap and thought, 'Oh, that's fashionable. When I saw that, I thought, 'Oh, that's so stylish.

That was in the 1990s, wasn't it? So "New Era" has been a fashion item since then?

." "Yes, that's right. After that, I went to school in Tokyo to study fashion, and at the time, my favorite thing to do was to incorporate baseball, ice hockey, soccer, and other game shirts and caps into my own style. So I am quite familiar with official MLB merchandise.

Hisaki Takezaki / Stylist
Born in 1981 in Kochi , Japan. Studied under stylist Yuta Kaji. Since becoming independent, he has worked mainly for fashion magazines and has also styled for musicians. A baseball enthusiast by nature, he is currently a member of a grassroots baseball team.

What is your image of the New Era brand?

The image of athletes, dancers, and hip-hop artists is overwhelmingly strong. What they all have in common is that they use their bodies to express something and influence many people. I have always had the image that they have a strong relationship with sports, but they also have a strong connection with street culture.

I can sense the street color in your style.

I have passed through the street culture to where I am now. Even the way of wearing a headband was unique to each person. What was shocking to me was the style of wearing a hat with a sticker on it. It instilled in me a new sense of values, like, 'That's a way to wear it! I thought.

By the way, what kind of headgear do you usually wear?

I wear it with the brim folded back to make my face look as small as possible (laughs).

People all over the world pay attention to the logo of "New Era".

This season, MLB players will be able to wear the New Era flag logo on the official caps they wear during games.

MLB is the number one professional baseball league in the world . People all over the world are paying attention, and everyone sees the New Era logo. I think people have always known that MLB caps are made by "New Era," but this will be emphasized even more.

-. In fact, the official player's caps that the players wear at the games are exactly the same as the ones we can buy at the store.

I see! That's a dream come true! It means that the cap you are holding in your hand may be an item made in the same lot as your favorite player.

By the way, Mr. Takezaki, do you have a favorite MLB team or player?

I like the Boston Red Sox, who are wearing the same uniform I'm wearing now. I am of the Matsuzaka generation. I am of the Matsuzaka generation, so I have the perception that Matsuzaka is a superstar. Matsuzaka was a member of the Red Sox. So I naturally feel a sense of familiarity with him. Also, I like the Yomiuri Giants, and Uehara was a member of the Red Sox. I am also attracted to the fact that both pitchers won World Series titles with the Red Sox. In the East, I have a strong image of the New York Yankees, but the Red Sox are no slouch either.

It's great to see Japanese athletes playing overseas, isn't it?

." "Yes, that's right. Also, the Yankees view baseball as a gentleman's sport, so all of their players shave their beards, but many of the Red Sox players have beards (laughs). (Laughs.) The appeal of the Red Sox is that each player has a strong individuality.

What do you think about the cap design?

I like the color scheme of navy and red. Basically, I wear a lot of navy, so I can match it without thinking about it. Red is a good accent color, so it can be used as an accent in a coordinated outfit.

Do you have any other favorite teams?

. I also like the Oakland Athletics. Do you know a movie called Moneyball , about the Athletics? It's about the Athletics and stars Brad Pitt . I learned a new way of looking at baseball from that movie."

What do you mean?

There is a baseball theory called "sabermetrics," and "Moneyball" is a story about a GM (general manager) who uses this theory. To put it simply, it is a story about a general manager who analyzes the on-base percentage of hitters and the defensive rating of pitchers in more detail to form an efficient team.

Brad Pitt played the GM of the Athletics team that was the subject of the film.

. yes. . Based on his methodology, he uses a lot of low-paid players who are talented but never see the light of day. And he turned a team that had fallen on hard times into an all-time winning team. I didn't know how to look at baseball that way, so I still remember being in culture shock. I still remember the culture shock I got (laughs).

It's rare to see a film that features a GM instead of a player or a director.

." "Yes, that's right. Normally, I admire the players, but I thought GMs were cool too. I also love the sense of a small team rising to the top. After seeing that movie, I fell in love with the Athletics.

The first step is to know about the team you are covering.

Finally, from a stylist's point of view, what advice would you give us on how to wear the "59FIFTY®" well?

. Talking in terms of technique, it is important to match the colors with the clothes. Like this athletics coloring, if a color has a statement, I think it will be more cohesive if you incorporate the same color in either the clothing or the shoes."

I see. Is there anything else besides technique?

I also think it's important to have a good feeling. I still play grassroots baseball and have always loved baseball, so it is normal for me to wear a baseball cap. However, I think there are many people who are not really interested in baseball. For those people, I want them to know about the team they are wearing, even if it is a small thing.

. It is indeed cooler if you understand the background of the item.

I don't think it's necessary to know everything about a team's history or current players, but I would like them to have at least one story that they can tell about the team. When people ask me, "Why are you wearing that team's cap? If the question is "Why do you wear a cap of that team? Just having such episodes will give you confidence, which in turn will make you look cool.

. So the reason for wearing that team is important.

When you look into baseball, you will find all kinds of knowledge, and as you explore these things, you will develop a love for the team. Love is important in everything, isn't it?