"The Wine Gallery" is quietly nestled in a tranquil area of Jingumae. It was newly opened about a year ago by Tadaaki Narita, who runs a restaurant in Nishi-Azabu that has been in business for a quarter of a century. This shop, which focuses on Burgundy and Champagne, will be hosting a trunk show by up-and-coming tailor Nobuhito Yamaguchi. Narita is a stylish man who is just as knowledgeable about bespoke tailoring as he is about wine, and he is a regular customer of Yamaguchi.

Tadaaki Narita, owner of "The Wine Gallery"

I sensed a sincere effort to create something beyond imagination.

--Please tell us about how you met Ms. Yamaguchi.

It's been about eight years since I met Narita . It was back when he was still selling ready-made clothes in his shop, and he saw my jacket and asked if it was a Pilotti. Pilotti is a tailor known to those in the know (= Nunzo Pilotti, one of the four great tailors of Naples). It made a strong impression on me. The next time I saw him, he was working as an interpreter at a bespoke tailoring event for Gennaro Solito (who is also one of the four great tailors of Naples). He told me that he goes to Naples whenever he has time off. I thought it sounded interesting, so I placed an order, and that's how it all started.
Yamaguchi: From my perspective , it was Mr. Narita who was a fan of Pilotti, and when he placed the order, he handed me five or six CDs and asked me to listen to them while I made the piece. I thought he was no ordinary person (laughs). The genre of the CDs? They were beautiful operas and classical music, which I hadn't listened to much before. I understood the meaning behind him giving me the CDs. Anyway, he's still my most nerve-wracking customer.
When Narita and Yamaguchi go out drinking, all they talk about is clothes. They don't even talk about girls (laughs).

LA SCALA Tailor Nobuhito Yamaguchi

—What aspects of it resonated with you, Mr. Narita?

I could sense an extraordinary passion from Narita to create something beyond imagination. He wasn't particularly talkative in customer service. But despite his lack of eloquence, his attitude towards craftsmanship was utterly sincere. You could even see that in his gnarled fingers.
Thank you, Yamaguchi . If you feel that way, I think it's largely due to my experience learning in Naples. They don't use patterns; they draw chalk directly on the fabric and cut it that way. They said that fantasy is essential for tailoring a suit beautifully. I've always thought about what lies beyond the numbers, how to give shape to what they call fantasy.


—I hear you've already made 7 or 8 of them.

The fact that he invites me out for drinks in Yamaguchi is surely a testament to his patronage. He's also entrusted me with repairing Pilotti's work, which was a very valuable experience. Oh, and I have a special story to tell. Narita-san hit it off with a painter who graduated from Musashino Art University, whom he met at a jazz bar in Shimokitazawa. He gave the painter a brand-new white coat he'd just bought that day, along with some money for paints, telling him to paint whatever he wanted.
Narita seemed like a gloomy guy, but once he started talking about art, there was no stopping him (laughs). The coat he brought back was just as wonderful as I expected. I just want to make sure there's no misunderstanding, because I have absolutely no sense of being a patron or anything like that. Interacting with young artists is stimulating for me, so that's all there is to it, nothing more, nothing less.

Like a Burgundy that has undergone ideal aging.

--Mr. Narita, you've titled your upcoming trunk show "Sharing My Hobbies." It's a very elegant name, but what's the meaning behind it?

Narita: I've introduced Mr. Yamaguchi to our regular customers before. He holds a respectable position and has a discerning palate, yet he doesn't seem to have much interest in clothing. He's a craftsman I've found through considerable personal investment. My hope is that by wearing his suits, you'll feel a little richer. That's why I'm sharing this with you. I've written this on the shop's website as well, but when you're trying something for the first time, I want you to choose the best you can afford. Because if you think, "Is this all there is?", you won't want to do it again.


—Could you tell us how you became so devoted to bespoke tailoring?

Narita : I belong to the generation that admired "Street Ivy Leaguers," a popular series in the magazine Men's Club. My dream came true when I was able to appear in the magazine. Ralph Lauren had just opened at my local Navio Hankyu (now HEP NAVIO), so I wore a regimental tie that I bought at Ralph Lauren for the photoshoot.
Later, I became engrossed in the world of bespoke tailoring, but my first attempt actually ended in complete failure. A young man in his twenties, having been introduced to a long-established shoe workshop in London by a senior colleague, was utterly disappointed. The finished product was misshapen, like a hot dog bun. He was even asked if he had come to have a shoe made without knowing anything about their workshop (laughs). However, when it came to suits, I was fortunate enough to immediately find a Pilotti.


My first experience at Pilotti in Narita was intense. While we were chatting in the salon, he suddenly started touching my body all over. I only realized that this was Pilotti's way of fitting when the ritual was almost over. The finished basted garment fit me almost perfectly. He made any adjustments by writing them down with chalk, and if he made a mistake, he erased it with saliva. I wish he'd left out the saliva (laughs), but I thought it was interesting.
I understand that since Yamaguchi , around 40 suits have been made, mainly by Neapolitan tailors such as Pilotti and Solito.
Is it the charm of Narita hand-sewing, or is it the local character? There's something about it that gives it a slightly comical feel. It's a flavor you can't find on Savile Row. Of course, there are times when a more sophisticated look is needed. In those cases, I put on ready-made clothes from Cesare Attolini or Dalcuore.

—These are ready-made clothes, aren't they?

Narita ready-made clothing embodies the right answer for each particular time. If you only rely on bespoke clothing, your own sense of direction can become blurred, so it's necessary to periodically reset your sensibilities with ready-made clothing. Of course, not just any ready-made clothing will do; it's essential that it's the very best.

—What do you think is the appeal of Mr. Yamaguchi's suits, Mr. Narita, who has had suits made by many renowned designers?

In Narita winemaking, there's a term called "a seam in the flavor." It refers to a wine that's not of very high quality, one that has a rough, unpleasant aftertaste. Mr. Yamaguchi's suits have no such seams. In short, they're comfortable. You could make clothes that are too big for comfort, but that's not good enough. They have to fit the body, hide flaws, and look good. Mr. Yamaguchi clears all of these requirements without sacrificing comfort. To use a wine analogy, his suits are reminiscent of a perfectly aged Burgundy red wine.


—Speaking of wine, this shop's selection is also unique. You focus solely on Burgundy and Champagne, right?

Narita is, in my opinion, the best wine region. The only grape variety used for Burgundy red wine is Pinot Noir. Wines made from a single variety truly express the terroir (the unique character of the land). And this is a culture that can be traced back to before Christ. Whether you like or dislike wine is a matter of personal preference. However, it is also true that there is a world beyond personal preference. That is the classics that have been appreciated throughout the ages, and Burgundy and Champagne are truly regions worthy of being called classics.

—So, that means Mr. Yamaguchi's suits have the potential to be considered classic?

Narita: We can already see the beginnings of that. The most striking example is the shoulder line. You won't find another suit that allows your shoulders to rotate so freely. My suggestions were incorporated into this as well. It might be taboo in principle, but there's also the enjoyment of getting involved in the manufacturing process through interactions with young craftsmen. Let me praise him a little more (laughs). Beau Brummell famously declared that one should be ashamed of dressing in a way that makes people turn their heads, but I appreciate that Yamaguchi's suits are understated and never go overboard.
Yamaguchi : Your kind words are too much for me to acknowledge. I will strive to improve.

Opened in 2016 in a corner of Omotesando, the restaurant was founded on the owner Tadaaki Narita's desire to "let customers try only the very best wines at first." They specialize in Burgundy and Champagne wines, purchasing and air-shipping almost all of their products directly from the regions, and stocking around 3,000 bottles of wine at all times.

■Address: 4-21-11 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
■Phone number: 03-6447-2244
■Opening hours: 2pm to 7pm (Sunday: 1pm to 7pm / Tuesday: Closed)
http://www.thewinegallery.co.jp/

Text: Takegawa Keiji
Photo: Fujii Taku

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