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.
This series has entered its sixth season. The 48th issue, the last of the second round, features Hiroyuki Nakano of "dojoe" in Yoyogi Uehara.
Text_Tommy
Edit_Yosuke Ishii
Hiroyuki Nakano / Owner, dojoe
Vol.48_The Great China Wall Cargo Pants
-What is the new vintage item you are going to introduce this time?
We would like to introduce The Great China Wall, a familiar name to those in their 40s and older. The Great China Wall was established in 1999 in L.A., U.S.A. The designers were originally from Harley-Davidson. The designer originally came from Harley-Davidson, from which he began taking on custom-made stage costumes, and then started making one-of-a-kind remake items. I think it was around 2001 to 2002 when it became popular. I was a vintage absolutist at the time, but I remember thinking, "This is really cool! I remember I thought it was "really cool!
-how very nostalgic. I think you were talking about the body being vintage or something.
Although the brand's claim was true, most of the items were military items that were relatively easy to find, even though they were vintage. I liked the brand because it was interesting to see how they could make them cool by adding "remakes" to them. But to be honest, there were many items that were overdone (laugh). In the early days, we made rather simple and cool items, but gradually we started to paint skulls and put studs on them, and it was like, "Oh, that way! I was running in the direction of "that way! This time, I picked up some of those items that I think are still applicable today.
-Did the list price at that time cost a lot?
There is a dead stock with a price tag, so as you can see, the list price is $288. In Japanese yen at that time, it was about 30,000 to 40,000 yen. A jacket made of leather would have cost 100,000 yen.
-Maharish" was also popular as a similar military + α brand. However, compared to Maharish, I still feel a sense of floppiness, and it's kind of like old American clothes.
It is true, isn't it? At the time, there were no brands with Chinese characters in their names, and it was even illegal to use them. In such a situation, I was struck by the gap between the "Great Wall of China" and "America. Incidentally, a person who worked at a domestic distributor at the time told me that the purchasing method was the same as buying second-hand clothes. When I went to the designer's atelier, I would see piles and piles of remade pieces, from which they would select Japanese sizes and bring them to me. The fact that such items were lined up in department stores like Isetan was also very interesting.
-Heh~. By the way, you prepared the bottoms for us this time.
I remember that there were many sweatshirts, T-shirts, and US Army utility shirts, but the most familiar to those who knew those days would be cargo pants. The size is mainly 30 to 32 inches, as it was the sense of the time. However, because they are remakes, they are basically one-and-only, so even if you go to a store because you want an item featured in a magazine, you will not be able to get the same thing (laughs). (Laughs) In a positive sense, this added value to the product.
(From left to right) Cargo pants from The Great China Wall, all reference items (all Dojo)
-What are the characteristics?
The body is from the 1980s and 1990s, and various remakes have been applied to it. The post-dyeing and embroidery of this camouflage pattern is still standard, and this one has prints on the mesh fabric and hem, and this one has a beautiful representation of a phoenix on the patch (laugh). To be honest, I think even this is a bit too much, so I'm considering dyeing them black for easier matching once I have a few more.
-All of them are very strong! I'm sure the younger generation will be wondering how they were matched back then.
At the time, white T-shirts were in vogue, and I think the basic rule was to simply match other items. As you can see, the food is rich and high in calories, so if you have this as a side dish, white rice is all you need (laughs). My first encounter with J.AUGUR DESIGN led me to become interested in the brand "J.AUGUR DESIGN," which combines vintage materials that symbolize America with materials from different backgrounds and tastes. Looking back on it now, I think I can say that I was a pioneer of the craft movement that originated on the West Coast of the United States.
-The collaboration with Supreme was also announced for the fall/winter 2022 season, and it seems that demand is increasing in the U.S. as well.
However, even on the U.S. West Coast, especially in L.A., which is the brand's home ground, they are rarely seen these days.... There is an option to ask a collector to sell them to you, but I have never heard of such a person in the first place (laugh). However, among the countless items in the lineup, there are still some special items such as vintage denim jackets, so I think this collaboration with Supreme will bring them back into the limelight. I myself am going to search patiently for such items with the hope that I will be lucky enough to come across them (laughs).
Hiroyuki Nakano / Owner, dojoe
He started his career at "NOW OR NEVER", a vintage clothing shop in Koenji. After that, he studied vintage clothing in the U.S. After returning to Japan, he worked at "OKIDOKI" and learned silkscreen printing from Mr. izmt of "AnoLuck" and started a hand-printed T-shirt brand. 2015, he opened a vintage clothing store "dojoe" in Yoyogi Uehara. dojoe" is a vintage clothing store located in Yoyogi Uehara, Tokyo, Japan. He has many fans in the industry due to his good taste and foresight in import and used items purchased in the U.S.
Official site:dojoe-tokyo.com
Instagram:@dojoe_tokyo
