What is the New Vintage anyway?
In the 1990s, the term "vintage" was used to describe vintage clothing that did not meet the definition of "antique," but still had value, as opposed to "antique" clothing that was 100 years old. Nowadays, there is a movement to find new value in "new vintage," even in old clothes from the 1980s onward, which used to be called "regular" vintage clothes. In this project, four vintage clothing stores with different styles propose new ways to enjoy vintage clothing. Each of them will talk about the charm of vintage clothing with their own sense of style.
. The 31st edition is Tatsuo Yamagami of TOXGO.
Text_Tommy
Edit_Yosuke Ishii
Tatsuo Yamagami / Owner, TOXGO
Vol.31_Mercedes-Benz Racing Jackets & Nylon Jackets
-What is the new vintage item you are going to introduce this time?
The theme of this issue is "Mercedes-Benz. Of course, Mercedes-Benz is well-known worldwide as a luxury car, but as I myself am, it is often mentioned in the context of culture as a brand closely related to hip-hop, etc., in the vintage clothing industry, and there are quite a few types of Mercedes-Benz products, which is interesting.
-What kind of things can we find?
Broadly speaking, there are four categories. The first category that comes to mind when thinking of vintage clothing culture is the "boot," which is common in the 80's. Sweatshirts are often seen at Gucci, Versace, and others. You can't get the real thing, but at least you can get in the mood! . The charm of these sweatshirts is that they are made with a sense of "I can't get the real thing, but at least I can feel good about it," and are designed with an excessive amount of affection that would be impossible to find in official products. Next is the workwear worn by factory and dealer staff, many of which were released in the 1990s and 2000s, and are in essence "uniforms. From the '00s, the company began to develop an official "apparel line" as well.
-The image is somewhat similar to that of "Harley-Davidson.
The tag says "Mercedes-Benz Collection" on it. The current items can be purchased at the shop-in-shop located inside the dealership or online. . The last one is "promotional items. It is difficult to distinguish them from the apparel line, but there are some differences, such as the simplicity of their construction. These items also include items produced for golf, soccer, and other sponsored events. So this time, we have brought two items from these lines.
Clockwise from top right: Mercedes-Benz nylon jacket ¥11,000 / Mini soccer ball for reference / Nooglumie bear for reference / Mercedes-Benz (boot) racing jacket ¥22,000(All in Togo)
First, let's start with the classic "boot" racing jacket. The body is made of a satin jacket from "STYLE AUTO," a brand often seen in used motor sports clothing, which gives the impression of "knowing the right way to wear it. The front is simply embroidered with a small three-pointed mark. The back of the jacket has the same design! on the back. The sleeves also have the brand name embroidered on them, but the fabric is not hanging, and the overall quality is well-balanced and high.
Mercedes-Benz (boot) racing jacket ¥22,000(TOGO)
-Colle is just plain cool!
. Some stores might charge a pretty good price. The price of a "boot" varies widely, but I think this one is at the highest level. Next is a nylon jacket from the "uniform" category. At a glance, there is no recognizable design other than the logo on the chest, so it looks plain, but I recommend it because of its 90's-00's atmosphere. The tag indicates that it was made in the 2000s, and it is waterproof and has underarm ventilation. Other details such as flap pockets and front pockets with watertight zips suggest that this jacket was worn by people who worked outdoors, such as dealers and factories.
Mercedes-Benz nylon jacket ¥11,000(TOGO)
-I like the fact that it is a work origin, not an outdoor one, and that it is this design.
The body says "VIKING" ......, but what is this? (laugh). (Laughs.) I can't expect much in the way of functionality, but just by having this logo on it, I thought, "What's that? It's also interesting that people will make fun of me just by wearing it. It's a fun thing to wear, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to drive a Mercedes but can't afford it! After all, you don't need a parking space, and you don't have to pay any maintenance costs, no matter how many clothes you have.
-. I think that's a good point. . Is that also a point? Does Togo carry a lot of these?
T-shirts and sweatshirts are a good pick, but these are items that you have to be a fan of to choose (laughs). (Of course, we are planning to have many items from this area in stock in the near future as well! These days, there are fewer and fewer people who are willing to discover interesting items that others don't know about! I feel that there are fewer and fewer people who are willing to discover interesting items that not everyone knows about, and I dare you to challenge yourself to find items that "only I would choose! I think that if people would dare to try items that only I would choose, they would be able to enjoy vintage clothing even more.
Tatsuo Yamagami / Owner, TOXGO
In 2008, he and a friend opened the vintage clothing store "KINSELLA" in Harajuku, and in 2015 opened "TOXGO" on the basement floor of KINSELLA in collaboration with Goro Nakatsugawa of the select store "MIN-NANO" in Ikenoue. While utilizing each other's strengths, the lineup is quite eclectic, and once you get hooked, you will be hooked.
Official site:www.toxgo.jp
Instagram:@toxgo
