Collection Summer 2024

When we made the decision to overhaul our entire denim line, we knew it would be a major undertaking. In fact, it was our largest product line revamp since our founding. The theme: “Denim of Japan.” Back in the 1990s, when we released our first denim products, denim was considered workwear not just in the United States but all over the world. We feel that we broke down this preconception bit by bit by reimagining denim garments for an ever-broadening range of situations, and we couldn’t be more delighted to have taken this step forward in the global history of denim as a single Japanese brand.

The face of denim is the rear. We didn’t learn this from anyone; we’ve always thought so. Perhaps this sensibility has its roots in the traditional “aesthetics of the rear view” seen in Japanese garments like kimono, obi, and hanten jackets with designs across the back. As we reviewed every aspect of our denim, including materials, dyeing, and shape, we found our focus returning again and again to pockets, brand patches, the embroidered “R”— elements only visible from behind. For example, every item has its own brand patch. These patches are made of not only leather but also Ai Indigo–dyed denim, with sashiko embroidery of the character “有” (pronounced “R”) or—for women’s garments—a print of a celestial maiden. The embroidered “R” on all our denim is as important to us as a kamon or family crest. The thread used is always dyed with Ai Indigo or some other botanical dye, and the shape and color vary with every item. Some even have an “R” dyed with sakura, producing a pure pink that makes the heart sing.