STAFF: Haru
instagram:haru_02018
Hello! I'm Haru, a fashion fanatic!!
When do you personally feel that
“winter is finally here”?
Is it when you set up a kotatsu at home,
or when you hear the familiar music of trucks selling kerosene?
I think it’s different for everyone.
As for me, I have a few indicators that winter is approaching,
but the moment I feel it the most is...
when the items from a certain brand
start arriving at our store.
That brand is
THE INOUE BROTHERS
At sign, these items made from "alpaca" material
have been loved as a winter staple for many seasons
and have been chosen by many people.
They are picked up both as fashion items
and as gifts for loved ones.
Of course, I’m a repeat customer myself; I’ve loved their items since before I started working here and have added to my collection every season, haha.
Not only are they high-quality and easy to use, but THE INOUE BROTHERS is not just a brand—it's an organization with a clear "vision" and "conviction."
I hope that by reading this blog, you’ll learn about that side of them,
and become even more interested in and drawn to their items.
This blog entry will be quite long, but I would appreciate it if you could stick with me until the end.
Let’s dive right in.
THE INOUE BROTHERS
Established in 2004 by Japanese brothers
Satoru and Kiyoshi Inoue,
who were born in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Satoru works as a graphic designer based in Copenhagen,
and Kiyoshi works as a hair designer in London.
They launched THE INOUE BROTHERS as a social design studio
that designs new values, rather than following the business model
that prioritizes financial gain over people and social justice.
There is a specific reason why they work with alpaca material:
Puno, located 4,000 meters above sea level in southern Peru,
is famous as an alpaca production region.
It is one of the most remote regions,
and they want to improve the lives of the indigenous Andean people,
who suffer from some of the worst poverty in South America.
While apparel and fashion are usually composed of complex entanglements
of self-expression and business elements,
THE INOUE BROTHERS is different.
"We want to improve the lives of people in the Andes struggling with poverty."
Driven purely by that desire,
they don't just treat alpaca products as a business;
by improving the quality of Andean alpaca,
if they can help people around the world realize its value,
then the lives of the indigenous people will also improve.
Because they use a method called "Direct Trade"
and use "fashion" as a tool to protect the livelihoods of the producers,
the underlying philosophy is different,
allowing them to deliver truly high-quality products.
Their concept is:
”Style can’t be mass-produced”
This phrase was often used by graffiti artists
in the slums of New York in the late 1970s
as a symbolic antithesis to the commercial art scene at the time.
It serves as an antithesis to modern society—
that true style and true coolness
can never be born from mass production—
and it is also a message from the Inoue brothers to us.
And when it comes to the design aspect, which is essential for fashion, they are heavily influenced by "Scandinavian Design"—a design style with the slogan of creating "more beautiful daily necessities" that are easier to use, such as furniture and lighting.
They incorporate designs that combine Japanese delicacy with Nordic simplicity.
The items are basic, easy for anyone to use, and match any styling,
which is why they are chosen as gifts for important people.
I would love to talk more about their roots and the history of how the brand was launched,
but it would inevitably become too long, so I will skip that for now.
If you are interested, I have a book about THE INOUE BROTHERS (my personal copy) at the shop, so feel free to borrow it anytime! Haha.
Now that I’ve explained what kind of brand they are,
here is the main item.
-Brushed Scarf-
col.BLACK
col.Burgundy
col.Ecru
col.Electric Blue
col.Khaki
col.Light Grey
col.Orange
col.Sakura
col.Teal
col.Brown
col.Camel
THE INOUE BROTHERS' staple model, the "Brushed Scarf."
It is a very simple design with fringe at both ends.
The surface has a brushed finish,
featuring a moderate luster and a warmth suitable for autumn and winter.
It is made from 100% rare baby alpaca hair,
taken from animals under three months old,
achieving a texture as fine and soft as cashmere.
Baby alpaca hair is highly durable due to the environment in which the alpacas are raised,
and because the fibers have a hollow structure,
they can release or trap heat depending on the ambient temperature and body temperature.
It is a high-performance material that is said to have eight times the heat retention of wool,
while also boasting a high-quality texture.
I’ve been a fan who loves and repeats their scarves for several years now, haha.
They are simple and easy to use, and come in a wide variety of colors,
so I like them enough to buy a new color every year.
Some people can't use wool scarves because they feel itchy,
but with baby alpaca material, there’s no such worry. It’s an item that everyone can use, which is why it’s become synonymous with winter at sign and is chosen by so many people every year!
Since it's gotten quite cold starting this week, isn't it about time you needed a scarf?
If you're planning to pick one out as a gift for that special day coming up in a little over a month,
now is the best time to do so while the color variety is still plentiful!
I don't have anyone to give a gift to, so I think I'll choose one for myself, haha.
Tomorrow, I will introduce cardigans from the same THE INOUE BROTHERS!
Look forward to it!
My Fashion Obsession Diary EP. 33
