On September 20th, a suit was unveiled at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 5th floor, in the business clothing section. It was a "battle suit," a collaboration between Isetan and students preparing for job hunting. It was born from a project to create a suit that could be worn as a recruitment suit for job hunting and as a business suit for working professionals.

The project to create this suit, named "First Suit," involved students designing the suits they themselves wanted to wear, and then having the opportunity to wear the finished suits and dine with executives of leading companies. This concept suit was born from such a dream project, the "Dream Selection Project." The project took almost a year to complete. The final part, a dinner party, recently concluded. And finally, this autumn, the dream suits are now on sale in stores.


Participants in the three-way discussion

Yuya Sugioka is the CEO of Beyond Cafe, a free space in Shibuya, Tokyo, that provides job placement support for students. He started his career at the age of 23, joining a fintech venture company.

Ricardo Kimura, Head of Influencer Marketing Division, TBI JAPAN Co., Ltd. During his student days, he participated in the "Dream Selection Project," a collaboration between BRYOND CAFE and Isetan, where he created his first suit and went to meet someone he admired.

Katsushi Shinozaki , Buyer in charge of product development, Men's & Sports Goods Department, Procurement Structure Reform Division, Mitsukoshi Isetan Co., Ltd. He is well-versed in domestic and international sewing factories and fabric manufacturers and is involved in the planning of Isetan Men's original suits. He is a key figure supporting this "Dream Selection Project" behind the scenes.

The business suits that future top business professionals truly want to wear right now

—What was the inspiration behind the collaboration suit between students and Isetan?

It all started with a conversation about how great it would be to create a story where everyone supports the dreams of students who are about to spread their wings and enter society. These young people have no money, no connections, but they have nothing but dreams that hold infinite possibilities, and this project is about adults supporting them. We want these young people who will become top-notch business people in the future to wear top-notch "battle attire," suits. Top-notch business style is not just about being fashionable, but about knowing the right place and presenting yourself appropriately. So the story is about students themselves producing "top-notch" business suits, actually wearing them, and going to meet top-notch people. That is the "Dream Selection Project."

When I heard about this, I thought it sounded interesting. I didn't know anything about suits when I was a student myself. I thought it would be more meaningful to support young people who will become our future customers, and at the same time, do something together with them about the manufacturing I'm currently involved in, so I said I would definitely like to cooperate.

—So you mean a job-hunting suit, or a recruitment suit? Working styles themselves are changing in various ways these days, and it seems like the importance of suits is diminishing, doesn't it?

Kimura: That's not the case around me. When people start thinking about getting a job, the topic of "I need a suit" inevitably comes up. "I bought a recruitment suit" and "I submitted my application form" mean about the same thing. I bought two suits myself. However, while everyone else prepares plain black or navy suits, both of my suits have stripes (laughs). I wanted to express my own individuality, or rather, my opinion, so even though I was told that patterned suits are a no-no for job hunting, I wanted to do it in my own style.

Some students, like Mr. Sugioka , might think that suits are a troublesome garment. However, when I talk to the young people who gather at Beyond Cafe, I hear many opinions like, "A person's inner self is reflected in their outward appearance, so by enriching and refining your inner self, you become an adult who values personal grooming." There may not be many people who value suits right now, but I'm sure that many more will come to think that way.


---I see. So, it means that there is meaning in giving young people who are actually rich on the inside, and who will inevitably wear top-quality suits someday, even if they don't yet have the financial means or the opportunity to wear a suit. How has the project progressed since it was launched?

Sugioka : First, we had a workshop where students worked on the theme, "What kind of suit should business people who will be active in society wear?" We received applications from about 200 people from all over the country, and we selected about 20 people to participate after reviewing their applications. We also received cooperation from Mr. Yo Ohno, editor-in-chief of the men's fashion magazine "MEN'S EX," who taught us about what a suit is, its history, and the basics of how to wear it, and then the students actually designed suits.

We discussed not only what kind of suit would be ideal for job hunting, but also for a first-year working professional. I didn't know anything about the history of suits, but it was interesting to learn about the differences between single and double-breasted suits, and what occasions they are appropriate for. Choosing the fabric and buttons was difficult, though, as everyone had quite different opinions.

From the beginning, it was decided that the suits completed by Sugioka would be presented to students. The students will actually get to wear the suits and dine with their admired business leaders at high-end restaurants. The person we met this time was Hiroyuki Ishii, President and CEO of CAMOBILE Inc. After graduating from university in 2002, Mr. Ishii joined CyberAgent, Inc., and five years later, in 2007, he became the representative director of CA Technology Inc., a subsidiary company that was established. He achieved results such as achieving annual sales of 1 billion yen in the fourth year of operation, and in December 2010, he was appointed as a director of the head office. In 2015, he became the representative director of CA Mobile Inc., which develops mobile content businesses.

At a dinner party with the CEO whom Kimura admired, everyone shared their dreams.

President Ishii chose Sugioka Restaurant for us. It was a meaningful dinner where we received support for our dreams.

—Have you ever been so nervous at a fancy restaurant that you couldn't even taste the food?

Kimura : No problem, the food was really delicious!

The concept for the suit I want to wear right now is "intellectual eroticism."

One striking observation from the Shinozaki workshop was that men's fashion can sometimes be driven by selfish desires such as "I want to be popular" or "How do I look to others?" These keywords were present in every team's work. It made me realize that men, students and adults alike, are fundamentally the same, regardless of generation (laughs).

Didn't keywords like "sexy" come up in Sugioka's comments? (laughs)

Kimura: Yes, there were some. Things like "I want to be popular" and "20% more attractive." I think a lot of positive phrases came out because he thinks suits are cool.

Sugioka : I think almost everyone has considered wearing a double-breasted suit at some point.

I thought the Kimura double-breasted suit might be difficult to mix and match. I also thought that ease of mixing and matching was important.

Shinozaki: I wanted everyone to approach it without any preconceived notions, so I tried to avoid giving specific advice as much as possible. For the first 15 minutes or so, they were choosing fabrics with flashy colors and patterns, and I was scratching my head thinking this wasn't good (laughs). I let them do as they pleased, but I was also thinking of intervening if the specifications became too outlandish. But those worries were unnecessary. The excellent students quickly started thinking about "a suit that I would want to wear myself, and at the same time, a suit that other people would want to buy when they see it."

Sugioka: The suit that was ultimately chosen expressed the concept of "intellectual eroticism."

Kimura: That's the suit I'm wearing right now!

"Intelligent" in Shinozaki refers to being good at one's job, while "erotic" refers to being popular with women.

I think the term " Sugioka Ero" also carries the meaning of "adult sexiness," and it's a keyword that young students who still lack sex appeal aspire to. That's why I made the lining purple. The idea is that when you take off your jacket and toss it aside, the purple lining will surprise the woman (laughs).

Shinozaki says that his ability to do his work is evident in the "luster" of the fabric. From our perspective, "luster" refers to the high quality of the fabric. It's not the luster that comes from gold or silver threads or silk, but rather the quality of the raw materials themselves.


Let's take a look at the finished suit.

Shinozaki had prepared fabrics from various brands, but the students didn't seem to care about the brand. In the end, however, they chose a slightly lighter navy solid color, 100% wool from Canonico. It's a twill fabric made with double and single yarns, which is what Canonico, a high-end Italian fabric manufacturer, specializes in. There's a wide range of colors available, but the students chose a bright navy that's right on trend.

Sugioka: This suit was designed not only as a recruitment suit, but also as a first suit that could be worn by employees in their first year of work, so it seems that a slightly lighter shade than dark navy was preferred.

Shinozaki: This fabric evokes the image of a capable businessman. The selection prioritizes color over pattern. The base suit model is Isetan Men's "Modern Classic." The lapels are slightly wider and the gorge is positioned higher, giving it an Italian style, but the tapered waist incorporates British elements. The trousers are flat. The pick stitching on the lapel edge of the jacket, as well as the attachment of the sleeves and collar, gives it a very tasteful and sophisticated look.

—That's a nice suit. If a new employee wore that suit, it would seem a little arrogant, wouldn't it? (laughs)

"I want to wear a good suit for a long time." Today's young people are a generation that values quality and authenticity.

Shinozaki: This first suit is available for a limited time from September 20th (Wednesday) at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 5th floor = Business Clothing. Sizes 42 to 52 are available. When I took on this project, I was pessimistic, thinking that today's young people would be more cynical and think "suits are something old men wear," but I was surprised to find that everyone was very positive about them. I thought they might choose functional materials for their first business suit, but that wasn't the case. I thought they might choose stretch or jersey fabrics, but they were saying things like, "This blue is better than that blue." Even though I didn't reveal the price, they naturally chose the more expensive fabrics. They seemed to understand the value of Italian fabrics, as their colors are different from Japanese fabrics. Even students have an eye for quality.

Sugioka: There are quite a few students today who are looking for authenticity, who want to get to the heart of the matter. They really want to know what's real. I think there's a tendency to choose the mainstream and the standard, rather than following trends.


---We've had the Bubble Generation and the Lost Generation, and now we have the generation known as the Yutori generation. I thought they would be more ephemeral.

Sugioka: Our generation is one that has started to think about who we are. We want to understand the essence of life itself. We are a generation that is attracted to things that have a background and a story behind them, not just their appearance or price.

Speaking from my own experience, when it comes to fashion items like jackets, suits, and biker jackets, I like classic pieces that I can wear for many years. For trendy items, fast fashion is fine. If I want a good jacket, I save up my New Year's money and go to ISETAN MEN'S .

Sugioka : There are surprisingly many people like that these days.

Kimura : I think there's some variation, but I think it's not uncommon. I think parental influence plays a role too. If your parents like clothes or wear nice clothes, they'll tell you what kind of clothes to wear, and you'll probably end up liking clothes too.

If a university student like Sugioka was wearing a Ralph Lauren polo shirt, you'd think, "This guy knows what he's doing!"

Kimura : My father is Spanish, and he has strong opinions on how to choose and coordinate suits. Sometimes I feel like rebelling and saying, "Things are different these days!", but I'm definitely influenced by him. Students who don't have those kinds of opportunities probably don't know much about suits.

It's understandable that you'd touch a suit for the first time at the store where you went to buy your Sugioka suit. Besides, you'd probably go with your mom, right? That's a no-no (laughs).

If you say you've come to Kimura to buy a recruitment suit, they'll just direct you in a certain direction. You don't even get a chance to look at other suits, so you don't get any information and have no way to choose.


Sugioka: Apparently, depending on the store, you might even be advised to choose a slightly larger size. When my younger brother was job hunting, a store clerk told him, "It's better not to be too fitted," and it was also written on a handout distributed to job-hunting students at school. I suppose there are times when the employees you actually meet during company visits and interviews are wearing loose-fitting suits.

Shinozaki: Hearing these kinds of firsthand opinions is a valuable opportunity for us. Many job-hunting suit buyers come with their parents. So we can hear the parents' opinions, but we don't get to hear the students' own opinions. They focus on the quality of the product, and surprisingly, they have a positive view of suits. We were able to gather some truly valuable opinions this time.

Sugioka: I think these kinds of voices won't come if you just wait. I believe that the students who gather at Beyond Cafe will one day be people who wear top-notch suits, but waiting around will only take time.

I understand that Shinozaki suits are not just a uniform for salarymen. It was a valuable opportunity to reaffirm that suits are recognized as an important item among young people.

Sugioka : I think many students look forward to wearing suits once they enter the workforce. Perhaps they feel that wearing a suit signifies moving on to a new stage in their lives. The culture of dressing formally for life's milestones, such as entrance ceremonies and coming-of-age ceremonies, still exists to some extent in Japan. Wearing a suit as a working adult—I think there's a sense of transcending a particular moment at that point.


Even Kimura gets excited when he wears a suit at a crucial moment, right?

Shinozaki: I hope to see more young people like that. All the clothing buyers at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building want to convey to people the meaning, fun, and joy of wearing a suit. Every morning, the time spent wondering which suit to wear is never wasted. It's a decision that enriches a person's life. With this "Dream Selection Project," we were able to help the students understand the meaning of suits at an early stage. I would be very happy if they choose this suit when they need to make a decision in their lives in the future.

Text: IKEDA YASUYUKI
Photo: TAKU FUJII

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