Rei Shito: The Look #36

Suiting up is so 2019… or is it? 

Street style photographer Rei Shito spoke to three men in the business of fashion, as they unveiled a brand new line of tailored suits – home office be damned.

Rei says: “I snapped this photo at the second launch event of the new suit collection at L’Échoppe, the most notable select store in Aoyama right now. These are owners Kaneko-san, Poggy-san and Miyahara-san – three key fixtures of Tokyo men’s fashion scene currently.

“This dream team recently launched a new line of suits with classic, essential tailoring, harkening back to a time when suits were more integral to daily life. I went to the launch event to congratulate them on the unveiling of their suits, but also to ask about the timing of the debut – are people even buying suits right now, in this era of WFH?

“The answer, they assured me, is yes. Surprisingly, people are flocking to the store from all around, buying up their suits in droves. They recount customers coming into the shop to try on the suits, exclaiming ‘Yes, this is exactly what I wanted!’

“I feel like this is a true reflection of Tokyoites who like to get dressed up. They say to themselves, ‘I want to dress up, even if there’s nowhere to go. I want to wear a suit and stand tall like I used to.’

“I also think this shows the fashion acumen of L’Échoppe’s stylish owners: They’re really in sync with the current mood, and always one step ahead.”

About Rei Shito

Each month, Rei Shito identifies one defining look that she’s spotted on the street, whether at home in Japan or abroad on her latest trip to the world’s fashion hotspots, providing readers with a fresh, thought-provoking perspective on current trends. Rei is acclaimed as one of the planet’s most original and influential street style photographers and fashion bloggers, publishing her work on her blog Style from Tokyo, as well as several magazines in Japan and overseas, such as vogue.com.
[Portrait Rei: Jun Tamura]