donburi

Fukuoka is a great city, I was only there for 24 hours last week but it has a distinctly Seattle-like vibe

-CH is basically black - normal humans (people not on this forum) can't tell the difference.

Yeah I can't agree with this at all. There's no way the CH can be mistaken for black except after it's totally dark outside. I got the blazer in CH as well and they can't be paired because the all-blue looks too weird. I'm not really an all-black kind of dude but I've toyed with a kind of regret over not getting the pants in black.

That said, I wear them with greenish faded shirts and darker gray melange stuff a lot and even with a looser black sweatshirt it looks cool. Someone told me "you look like a fucking ninja" in one of these situations and that's pretty much the best compliment you can get while wearing ACR shit, so I'd say the pants are a definite yes, even in CH. They need to be belted but the fit is sick. 

Guys, where in Tokyo is this shit sold? I have walked by Bench like 3 times in the last few weeks and haven't seen anything remotely ACR-looking

edit: yeah what the fuck this season is amazing though

did someone mention Blue Star Donuts in Daikanyama? Good shit

Yeah a lot of the free WiFi spots only work if you have an NTT Docomo / AU / Softbank plan. 

There's an unlimited data option

I'm gonna get a pocket wifi hotspot from these guys. Seems like a good deal
http://en.wifi-rental-store.jp/

Edit: I'm only going for 2 weeks so I have no need for cell reception. But everyone uses LINE to text and make calls anyway so a pocket wifi is pretty sufficient for daily travel. Also recommended to get a pocket battery to extend that shit's life

Coming to Tokyo next week, got any omiyage recommendations? Are Japanese folks still into Brooklyn-made sundry goods?

These are dope what are they

The johnny hunter strikes again

Last weekend I surreptitiously entered â–ˆâ–ˆâ–ˆâ–ˆâ–ˆâ–ˆâ–ˆâ–ˆâ–ˆâ–ˆâ–ˆâ–ˆâ–ˆâ–ˆâ–ˆ, once the third-tallest building in the world and currently under renovation. There are 67 floors, the last of which is a glass-enclosed box with a view of the entire city.
 

 

Acronym J29-CH

Outlier Merino
Outlier Climbers
Nike Killshot Retro
DSPTCH Shoulder Bag

 
I kept the J29 hood on for the approach and entry, but removed it after entering the building. One of the few flaws I've identified in the small J29 is that the hood is simply too small, fitting tightly around my head and forcing it forward slightly. 
 
This was the first test of the new DSPTCH bag with Fidlock closures. It can only carry a few items, but makes accessing them very easy. I only wish it was waterproof.

Outlier items performed as always. The sweat-wicking and breathable OG cloth was invaluable for the 67-flight ascent. 

I'm not really into the backpack but I picked up the shoulder bag. I wish it fit a 15" laptop (I mistakenly thought that it did when I bought it) but so far it's served me really well.

They need waterproofing though

That sort of inconspicuous fabric solution could be really nice. One thing I noticed when I handled the N.4 was the reflective bit simply didn't have the same nice handfeel as the rest of the product. Integrating the reflective material into the fabric itself instead might help a lot.

 

Really interested to see how this plays out as you come out with products that are composed more of leather. It only takes a quick browse around sufu, especially this thread, to prove that there's a place for leather items in the techwear aesthetic. I think the single exposed and laminated zipper is pretty cool. It looks especially badass on the N.3

Such great comments above by @piece keeper.

The fashion/athletic styles are usually at odds, but definitely converging more and more, but I think the more successful companies to tackle the two in a complementary way have leaned more heavily towards one than the other.

It really feels like one of the major trends of the last few years has been precisely this convergence. But unlike design trends in other industries, the convergence hasn't led to an amalgamated, unified style, but many diversified approaches. A positive outcome of this is that it gives a company like @nocturnalworkshop a lot of room to develop your own unique vision. @piece gave a great overview of a few brands above, but like he said, a deeper exploration can extract a much better understanding of each company's formula.

What do you think drives the hype behind a brand the most? We are starting to reach out to more influencers to collaborate on photoshoots, and like our collaboration with the lab, we are constantly seeking other companies to work with. 

@piece has a good point about using publications and communities like Hypebeast and sufu to grow the awareness of your company, but in my experience, the most crucial thing is the execution of the brand itself.

Successful brands have a strong vision, and each interaction they have with their customers and potential customers reinforces that vision. All the content you produce - photography, lookbooks, videos, blog posts, and product descriptions - down to the sentence - must support a consistent image. I believe that it's this brand mystique / "je ne sais quoi" that drives interest and hype, and if you have that, organic growth like what @piece mentioned will come naturally.

Outlier is a great example of a company that really understands its own vision and knows how to talk about itself. From Outlier's info page, appropriately titled "Our Philosophy":

 

We want to build the future of clothing.
 

That single statement is the beginning of Outlier's brand. If you take some time to explore their website and use their products, you'll find that nearly everything they say and do carries this essence.

~

So far, all of your goods, including the new collaboration, have maintained a consistent look and feel. Although I haven't handled one yet, assuming the build quality is good, I would say all the right pieces are there for you to build a really successful brand image. Especially with your fantastic name. You just need to find and establish a good balance between athleticism and fashion. If your vision, voice and tone, and content are cohesive, you'll end up with a strong, desirable brand that will seep into and help direct future product lines.

^good point above about difficulty of financing small companies. The venture capital scene is relatively tiny there and people aren't willing to take risks on small businesses, usually. That said the startup scene is growing at a pretty rapid clip, especially in Tokyo and (surprisingly) Fukuoka, where there are large numbers of young people. 

@herpsky

Japan has a surplus of educated talent, manufacturing knowhow, and the right mindset to create excellent products. What's happening now appears to be, from my perspective, a crisis in confidence. Japan, as a country, is basically being a downer about its future, despite being insanely successful in maintaining its huge economy after the 90's crash. Given a slight cultural shift and encouragement by the government, I can see a culture that rewards taking risks on startups and new ventures. I think it will only take one or two examples of new successful consumer-oriented businesses to see this happen.

Watch what happens in the next 5 years.

I'd like to chime in here. I only recently got introduced to Nocturnal Workshop, and I'm most interested in the backpacks.

First of all, what Endless said about pictures of the insides of the backpack is absolutely right. That's the biggest thing stopping me from seriously considering a purchase - since I can't pick up a bag and examine it in the store, I really have to be able to see what's on the inside, what sort of pocket the N.3 front zipper opens into, etc.

But furthermore:

Overall I just feel that there are a lot of other brands with similar or more interesting aesthetics but with more hype behind them (read Y3 as an example), that demand all of my attention (and all the cash in my wallet). And at a similar pricing but with less hype I can't really find myself justifying a purchase. 

Recently came across this wallet from 2010 and fell in love. Too bad I don't think it's available anywhere anymore

The exchange rate is crazy in favor of the dollar right now. Might be a good time to go for it.

Outlier has a new version of their rolltop backpack out today

Restock on a lot of stuff, there are climbers and dungarees in all sizes and most colors rn.

They have open studio on Fridays and I stopped by last week. Tried on the airspace pullover, and not gonna lie it's a pretty weird piece haha but kind of cool in black. I can imagine it would be really good for a long hike trip

Woah where is this from

Has anyone eaten at 神田ã¾ã¤ã‚„? There's a line every time I walk by.

I used to live right by there! ç¥žç”°ã¾ã¤ã‚„ (Matsuya) is one of the best soba places in Tokyo. 

If you're in that area and in the mood for ramen, ã¤ã˜ç”°ãƒ©ãƒ¼ãƒ¡ãƒ³ (Tsujita Ramen) is probably my favorite ramen in the world and it's very close by. Wow I'm super jealous of you right now. 

I came here to post this. I wonder if we'll see the J-42 actually reach production.

Have this one.

Great for that price (again).

In real life it's much better than Nike tech fleece product.

Fabric really like neoprene in touch.

Feels very comfortable and tough.

This is super helpful and exactly what I needed to know. I have been wanting to get this for a while, but I found the Nike tech fleece hoodie which is similarly styled at Nike Run the other day, which was what prompted me to ask that question.

So the freedom of movement in the jacket is pretty good? That's my biggest concern, and none of the model pics show moving around that much. 

I think I'm going for the gray

Does anyone have experience with ISAORA's Neo Hoody?

https://www.isaora.com/products/neo-hoody?variant=1066823245

I really like the look but I haven't had great experience with ISAORA products. I have their Tech Stretch Sweatpant and Micro-Drop shorts, and I haven't been impressed with the maneuverability or stitching of either. firstdoorontheleft spoke negatively about a bunch of their other products on the last page too so I'm especially skeptical now. 

Thoughts?