STAFF: Haru
instagram:haru_02018
Hello! I'm Haru, a fashion geek!!
It goes back over half a year
since I first encountered this brand.
While looking for new brands for the 26SS season,
I discovered an article about a certain brand,
and I read it out of curiosity.
By the time I finished that article, I was already
captivated by the brand,
and I immediately pitched it to Kento-san and Sota.
Thanks to that, we’re starting to carry it at sign
from this season on!
I’m truly grateful for that.
I don’t think there are that many shops
that would listen to the opinion of someone like me,
still just a newbie,
and immediately start carrying a brand
I suggested.
It's because I'm in such an environment that
I can genuinely say that I want to find
the best brands possible,
and the brand I encountered as a result is one
I have personally been looking forward to receiving
for a long time!
This blog post is going to be long,
but I hope you'll stick with me!
Let’s get straight to the brand introduction.
The brand’s name is,
"Shuzo Matsuhashi"
(シュウゾウ マツハシ)
The brand launched from 26SS,
and designer Shuzo Matsuhashi's background is incredible.
While majoring in Textile Design at Tama Art University,
he studied abroad at the
Chelsea College of Arts in the UK.
After graduating from Tama Art University,
he gained experience as an assistant
at the Japanese unisex fashion brand "YANTOR",
and from 2019, he studied fashion design at the
University of Applied Arts Vienna.
After graduating, he joined Loewe in 2023
as an intern.
Working under the then-creative director
Jonathan Anderson,
as a member of the knitwear design team,
Shuzo Matsuhashi is a brand launched by
leveraging his experience learning fashion
from the cultures and various brands
both in Japan and abroad.
The theme of Shuzo Matsuhashi is
"Clothing for daily life" and "The relationship between clothes and the body".
The brand offers items with designs inspired by
everyday movements and clothing rooted in
people's lives, such as workwear, nursing clothes,
and lingerie.
I personally find it interesting why Matsuhashi-san,
who works in various countries, decided to base the
brand in Japan:
"While European brands often separate manufacturing
across multiple countries, I was attracted by the fact
that Japan can complete the entire production process domestically."
It made me realize that even things we take for granted
can be seen as "special" if you change your perspective,
and I feel this is an approach born from
Matsuhashi-san's experience overseas.
There are several reasons why I fell in love
with this brand,
and I still remember the shock I felt being drawn to the
expressions and designs that didn't seem like
a typical Japanese brand.
When I first saw the lookbook photos,
I felt a sophisticated, artisanal impression with a
worldview that made me think "Is this an import brand?".
This is just my own theory, but
I have an image that every brand's first collection
tends to release items close to the designer's roots
or the atmosphere of the brand they came from,
and while that experience is also utilized in
Shuzo Matsuhashi,
it feels like it is intricately mixed together.
With his diverse background, there are still
glimpses of a brand that is still developing,
but it is precisely because of that "blank space"
where the brand is not yet fully complete
that I enjoy seeing where it goes from here,
and I strongly feel I was drawn to it because it's
a creation only Matsuhashi-san could make.
I got excited and the introduction became
incredibly long, so on to the item introductions haha.
Shuzo Matsuhashi
-Roll Up Patched Knit in
Marcerized Cotton-
col.Gold 
col.Dark Navy
This is the type of item we haven't offered
very often at sign until now.
To be honest, I understand that it is
a niche item,
but because it reflects personality rather than
trying to please everyone,
I think it will resonate with many people.
The material is soft to the touch
and has a texture that can be loved year-round;
if you want to enjoy it during this season,
I suggest using it as an inner layer for outerwear
or wearing something underneath it.
The design is relatively simple too,
but it’s a piece with a presence, making it
fun to figure out how to incorporate it into your styling.
Personally, I'm in the mood for layering a colored T-shirt
or shirt underneath it for this season!
If you’re looking for ease of use or something basic,
I recommend the other item!
-Carved Laceish Knit
in Marcerized Cotton-
col.Gold 
col.Dark Navy
It hits just the right mood for now,
a knit T-shirt that can be enjoyed even in warmer weather.
The theme of the first collection
is "Non-conscious Fashion".
The long-sleeve T-shirt made of jacquard fabric
incorporating a paper towel design
is a contemporary and classical item inspired by
objects that blend into daily life.
It has been well-received and there are only a few left,
so if you are interested, please check it out early.
Now that new items have started to arrive little by little!
They disappear before you know it, so
be sure to check them out as soon as possible.