The Shirt Style By Brooks Brothers] Brooks Brothers, Shirts and Me Vol.9 Akira Solimachi, Illustrator

Supima Cotton Oxford Polo Button Down Dress Shirt Regent Fit ¥19,000+TAX(Brooks Brothers Japan)

I have loved drawing since I was a child, and it was the only subject I excelled at in school. . But I never thought of pursuing a career in painting. I was more interested in fashion, so I thought that might be my future career. I was thinking about that kind of work in the future. I became aware of fashion when I was in the second or third year of junior high school . At the time, the fashion trend was the first wave of the preppy boom. Button-down shirts, cotton pants, and loafers or deck shoes . I remember my friend's brother showed me "Take IVY" and I was shocked.

Akira Sorimachi is an illustrator who is active in a wide range of fields, from magazines to advertisements, both in Japan and abroad. In recent years, he has been collaborating with apparel brands, and his style is stylish with a timeless retro taste and a strong sense of the appeal of fashion as a culture. His works are only possible because Mr. Solimachi has a deep knowledge of fashion and is able to beautifully wear a Brooks Brothers set-up in a self-styled style.

Jacket ¥69,000+TAXPants ¥26,000+tax,TIE ¥12,000+TAX(Brooks Brothers Japan)

I think the traditional style that has been created in the U.S. for generations is the trunk of who I am, and as I get older, it branches out and becomes me. From my early teens to my 20s, I was totally into American style. I think that fashion and music were more linked back then than they are now. In particular, when it came to music, I loved listening to American rhythm & blues and modern jazz from the 50s and 60s. The fashions of those people back then were based on American traditional, but the way the artists dressed in their own way was their style, and I learned a lot from them.

Cuffs tightly fastened with cufflinks. The contrast with the antique watch peeking out is beautiful.

For Mr. Solimachi, who was enamored with the American traditional style, the Brooks Brothers brand is more than just a brand, he says.

I think I first heard about Brooks Brothers from an advertisement in a magazine at the time. I had the impression that it was the headquarters of the American style, so I had the feeling that I couldn't easily get my hands on "Brooks Brothers. . Later, it also started appearing in second-hand clothing, and I started buying items such as button-down shirts. As for the image of Brooks Brothers, I have the impression that it is a brand that created American traditionalism and created a genre, starting with the No. 1 sack suit, for example. . I think it is something much bigger than an ordinary clothing brand. . because it is the founder of a style."

Mr. Solimachi finishes an illustration for a magazine. . He is in good posture, and colors the illustrations with a brush he is familiar with.

I think American style looks great even if you wear the sleeves of a button-down shirt until they are worn out," he said. Even if you wear it down, it still has a certain elegance. Woody Allen wore worn-out shirts like that, and they were really cool. I think Brooks Brothers is a brand that can be worn in that way, even for a button-down shirt. It's because it's a Brooks Brothers shirt that it looks good, and the more you use it over the years, the more pleasure you get out of it. I think that's what it's all about. They are not affected by trends, and can remain unchanged for decades or centuries, and I think that's why they remain as a standard item.

Photo_Shin Hamada
Text_Maruro Yamashita
Edit_Yosuke Ishii