. walks around with a paperback in the pocket of his "501®."
Matsuura: Of course, this shirt can be worn alone, but lately I've been wearing a T-shirt as an inner layer, and I always think that if I can wear a shirt alone, I'll be able to peel off my skin (laughs).
Kaneko: I think Mr. Matsuura has not just one skin, but two (laughs).
Matsuura: When I was younger, on the contrary, I thought it was childish to wear a T-shirt under a shirt. But recently, I have started wearing innerwear. And I've gone back to wearing the red packs from "Hanes.
That's surprising.
Matsuura: When I was about 17 years old, I used to look for Haynes red packs at Ameya Yoko in Ueno, Tokyo. I was shocked at how cool they were. . Until then, I had only known innerwear made by Japanese manufacturers. After wearing them for a long time, the necks got saggy, and I didn't like it, so I picked up other T-shirts, but now I've gone around twice, and I still like Haynes.
What do you like about it?
Matsuura: . including the not-so-fine quality, which makes it soggy, but it can be worn comfortably in everyday life.
Kaneko: And then after another 10 years or so, you change your mind. . and then after 10 years or so, you change your mind, and you say, "I'd rather have a stuffy neck after all.
Matsuura: I think it was only in the last 20 years or so that the style of wearing a jacket over a T-shirt was born. That's why the Haynes red pack has been relegated to the back corner of everyone's memory. I recently wore a red pack, and it reminded me of my original intention (laughs). I remember how impressed I was the first time I wore it.
Other than the red pack, did you ever think of wearing anything you were wearing at the time? For example, I think the Levi's® "501®" would be one such item.
Matsuura: I think 501® can be worn all the time, even if the times change.
Kaneko: I mean, it's really a classic of a classic. It's always been a constant, or something.
Matsuura: . but there are things that I have to overcome.
What do you mean by that?
Matsuura: The 501® is not popular, now or ever.
Kaneko: That's a great word (laughs).
Matsuura: When I was around 20 years old, DC and Italian brands were at their peak. I had been going back and forth to the U.S., so I had an American influence. I would wear 501®, a Haynes T-shirt, and Converse shoes, but girls didn't care for that kind of style. I really wasn't popular with the girls. But I still had to have the strength of will to wear "501®.
I guess you could say there is a divide between the hard and the soft.
Matsuura: On my first visit to San Francisco, I went to a Levi's® store. I went to the Levi's® store on my first visit to San Francisco, and I decided to buy a 501® because that is where the Levi's® headquarters is located. When I entered the store, a gray-haired man looked at me and handed me a 34-inch pair of denim, but no matter how I looked at them, they were a size too big. I was only about 18 years old, and I wanted to look stylish because I wanted to be popular. The pockets are ridiculously large. But the guy said, "I'm fine with the 34. He said, "These are work pants.
I remember being aghast at that moment. So I did what he said and got a 34-inch pair. He told me to wear them for a week, wash them, and bring them back to him and he would hem them, which I did. In other words, "501®" is not a fashion item, but pants for working people, so they should not constrict the body.
Matsuura: The man put a paper bag on display in his store, and it fit me so well, because I could put a hat or a glove in the pocket and it would be the right size. In other words, "You can just squeeze your waist with a belt.
I think that man taught me that clothes are not only a fashion item, but also a tool for daily life, and since then I try to buy denim in a larger size. However, this makes me even more unattractive (laughs).
Kaneko: . I, too, am extremely attracted to clothes that are used as tools.
Matsuura: Since then, I've been cool enough to walk around with a paperback in my "501®" pocket. When I went out on dates with girls, I would carry about two books in my pocket, and I was happy when they would ask me, "What are you reading? I was happy when they asked me what I was reading (laughs).
