STAFF: Haru
instagram:haru_02018
About half a year ago, I remember coming across an article on a fashion website that caught my eye.
“A new brand seriously aiming to be ‘Number One’ in the world”
Seeing that title, I naturally started reading and was deeply impressed. The items, the creation, and the worldview the brand proposed were all so stimulating—it’s a brand that doesn't just offer good products, but is obsessed with the invisible details.
The name is vowels.
A street brand started by Yuki Yagi and Haley Champoux, who have worked on various brands including the American-born "MONTMARTRE NEW YORK."
Operating from both the US and Japan, they propose luxurious items that brighten up daily life, with a commitment to high-quality Japanese fabrics and manufacturing processes.
I was interested and drawn to vowels just by looking at Yagi’s background and the brand's lookbook, but
there is a brand philosophy that struck a chord with me as a fashion lover.
It is a manufacturing process that follows the footsteps of predecessors who developed Japanese arts and culture, respecting the spirit of "Shuhari"—a concept used in Japanese arts such as the tea ceremony and martial arts.
"Shuhari" consists of three stages:
"Shu" (to protect): faithfully following and mastering the teachings of one's master or school.
"Ha" (to detach): developing one's mind and technique by incorporating new elements.
"Ri" (to transcend): creating something completely original and new.
By repeating various experiments and reinterpretations under this "Shuhari" philosophy, they propose unique items with an approach that suits the current era.
I was captivated by these one-of-a-kind items that follow up on the vibe of America—the true home of street fashion—with Japan's historical knowledge and technology.
I realize that what I just talked about may be unnecessary information for simply wearing clothes. To just think "I'll wear it because it's cool" is more than enough.
However, by knowing the invisible backbone, you come to understand the "essence" hidden in the item, and when you wear it, you can imagine how to style it and how to enjoy it.
My introduction has become quite long, so let me present the items that just arrived.
-EYELET POLO-
col.BLUE 
col.GREEN
-LIMONTA PUFFER-
col.BLUE
A polo knit characterized by a cute heart pattern.
An item that shows off high-quality materials and Japan's excellent knitting technology, fused with the street elements characteristic of vowels.
It feels soft against the skin, without the typical itchiness of wool, making it perfect to wear on its own or as an inner layer for outerwear.
The down jacket balances functionality and design; it is a soft, voluminous jacket with water-repellent, windproof, and breathable properties.
With down insulation reaching all the way to the collar, it provides warmth up to your neck, and the stand-collar pockets are lined with heat-retaining fabric to keep your hands warm, too.
While these items aren't quite ready for the current weather, I can confidently recommend them as must-have pieces.
I find it interesting to think that choosing items by imagining yourself in the near future, even in this hot weather, is like sending a message to the "ideal self" that your past self envisioned.
Please come experience the excellence of the new brand vowels, which is seriously aiming for "Number One" in the world, in-store.