After the United States and England , our adventure around the world and clothing takes place in a country that is both very far and very close: Japan. We don't hide it, it's a major influence at BonneGueule and we told it, among other things, via this exciting road trip . But what if we only had to keep a few Japanese brands that make us dream? Benoît, David, Nawal, Quentin and Jérôme tell you theirs.
45R - JEROME
45r is not the best known of Japanese brands . Relatively confidential in France, it paradoxically has three stores in Paris. This is not the first time that I have mentioned this brand in our columns. Remember for example:
1. THE BRAND
The story is not new: 45r was in fact born in Tokyo at the end of the 70s under the leadership of Shinji Takahashi and Yasumi Inoue . The latter is still in charge of the creations and you can discover her here:
Obviously, we don't come to 45r for the simple quality/price ratio but for an experience with style and work on materials – linen, denim, velvet, etc.
Among the specificities of 45r creations, the transmission of Japanese know-how and everything related to working with indigo . To learn more about this topic, you can take a look at this video from Benoit:
But if the materials and textures of 45r are sought after, it is especially the silhouettes that amaze me the most. It's a subtle marriage of old and contemporary, with volume and lots of details that quickly make you want to adopt the style to the letter.
Certainly, it is quite typical of a certain Japanese sartorial spirit and you will certainly find other brands which practice this art of volume, color and materials . But 45r has its own little touch - the shape of the shirt pockets is a signature in itself. Apart from certain specific productions, everything is made in Japan.
Just like Margaret Howell in England, 45r produces clothing for men and women. Sharing, creativity regardless of the genre, it's something I'm quite attached to. In fact, the men's, women's and unisex collections all demonstrate the same attention to style and durability - it's a brand you can share with your friends.
Just one look at the 45r looks should be enough to transport you. As for owning one or the other of these pieces, you will either have to be thrifty and patient, or come across a good deal, second-hand, on the Internet.
2. AN ICONIC PIECE
It's difficult to settle on one piece in particular: the collection is quite crazy rich. We could summarize the matter by simply saying: everything designed with indigo. But you will see that there are a lot of them and that it sometimes makes you dizzy.
My preferences ? When it comes to women, there are many wonders when it comes to dresses and tunics. The grain of the fabrics and the patterned pieces are regularly beautiful. Like here for example:
As for men, I admit to having a weakness for shirts, overshirts, jackets and tops in general. Always at the crossroads of Japan and the United States, through a form of original workwear, simple and functional while being rich in a thousand little things that you have to learn to look at closely.
The appeal of 45r clothing is perhaps quite simply that: we love them for what they tell in detail about the history of Japan, its textile knowledge and its influences.
And it has to be earned: you have to look out, touch the clothes, feel the passion behind them to fully appreciate their uniqueness . That being said: yes it is very expensive and a little inaccessible. But this is really the only “flaw” that I could find at 45r. The part of the dream.
BEAMS+ - DAVID
1. THE BRAND
There are palettes of beautiful Japanese brands.
I chose one with a bold and relatively accessible style.
Beams is a brand created in 1976 by Etsuzo Shitara.
The entity is today very extensive with a large
To discover the Beams galaxy, click here .
For us, it's the Ambush range, it's the brand imagined in 2008 by Yoon Anh. Born in Korea, the designer grew up in the United States before establishing her brand in Japan in Tokyo, in the very cool district of Shibuya . If at the beginning, the brand focused on jewelry, it now offers clothing and accessories. It also stands out for its prestigious collaborations, for example with Nike , Bulgari, Beats and Moët & Chandon .
"We started with jewelry, pieces with the POW! message, then our friends and certain personalities like Kanye West started wearing them, it grew and we got to a point where we asked what we were going to do with it, so we continued and added ready-to-wear,” the designer told Vogue in 2018, at the time of her appointment as creative director of Dior jewelry. Man.
On the clothing side, the collections navigate between streetwear spirit and sophisticated minimalism .
The cuts are extremely well worked, with beautiful drapes, very interesting asymmetrical sweaters, cropped sweatshirts, cut-out dresses or even unstructured jackets, patchwork jackets...
The bags and shoes are also very cool. I really like this black geometric lambskin bag - at the “sweet” price of 1196 euros (currently on sale at 562 euros), with its handle which subtly refers to the “A” in Ambush.
A black "A" bag in lambskin from the Ambush brand
2. AN ICONIC PIECE
It's impossible not to think about jewelry, since they are the basis of Ambush! These are unisex, offbeat, often inspired by pop culture or everyday objects , and with a bling touch reminiscent of the imposing pieces popular with hip-hop stars. Thus, we find padlocks, safety pins, beer caps, nails, screws and even lighters, reinvented as earrings, necklaces, etc.
My favorite is this pair of hoop earrings in the shape of glued hearts, made in Japan . But I admit that the price of 950 euros per pair scares me a little 😀
“Heart” hoop earrings from the Ambush brand
ASICS - QUENTIN
Asics and me are a great love story. For as long as I can remember, sporting activities have always fascinated me, I like to challenge myself and push my limits.
And for that, a faithful sidekick has always followed me on my crazy adventures, it is obviously my pair of Asics.
During my secondary education, a significant event occurred every year: the middle school cross country. A competitor at heart, it's impossible to look bad. This real challenge was an opportunity for me to show myself in my best light. Always equipped with my Asics, my goal was simple: finish in the best place.
The little guy with the striped jacket in the middle is me. Yes.
Well the look left something to be desired you might say , but the result was there. Regular runners, my father, my mother and my uncle swore by this brand. It’s really them who passed on this dream and this love for Asics to me.
1. THE BRAND
Born from a Latin saying "Anima Sana In Corpore Sano" which translates to "a healthy mind in a healthy body" , the brand's philosophy remains unchanged: helping beginners and professionals thrive in their active lives .
The founder, Kihachiro Onitsuka, believed that sport contributed to well-being and a better quality lifestyle. The brand experienced its meteoric rise in the 1980s with the arrival of GEL™ technology. Shock absorption, stability and optimal comfort, this invention was a real revolution. Moreover, for the anecdote, if 1986 marks the creation of GEL™ technology, it also represents the first medal won by a
Since then, Asics has continued to innovate and offer ever more comfortable and efficient shoes. Durable over time, these shoes today accompany the greatest athletes of this century, I am thinking in particular of Novak Djokovic.
Credit: Photo by Ella Ling/Shutterstock
2. AN ICONIC PIECE
For many, when we talk about Asics, you instinctively think of the legendary Onitsuka tiger Mexico from Kill Bill.
But how can we talk about an iconic piece without mentioning my own pair of Asics. This timeless model has been following me for almost seven years, and how can I say it, it simply hasn't changed.
I find that the color offers a multitude of possibilities for urban looks. For example, for a summer look, I think these shoes would go wonderfully with our pants. The kind of crazy jacket that Meanswhile knows how to make.
Between shirts with interior pockets, pants with surprising cuts, or bags in X-Pac and their rain jacket .
Interpreted by Meanswhile, I like this simple design, but also the twist with the chest pockets which overlook the hand pockets.
Small bonus point for the custom welded seams and the secret pocket in the garment label.
Surprisingly, it's a bit more sober piece than what Meanswhile usually does, but which makes it perfectly wearable in more “European” silhouettes shall we say!
