In a glass-enclosed workshop located in a corner of the 4th floor Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building , is the castle of tailor Nobuhito Yamaguchi. This spring, in response to customer requests, his made-to-measure service will begin.

A relationship that goes beyond that of craftsman and customer creates clothing like never before.

The two first met around 2009, when Yamaguchi had just joined Isetan and was working in the store selling ready-made clothing.

It all started when Mr. Narita Yamaguchi approached me and asked, "Could I take a look at the Pirozzi (Nunzo Pirozzi) jacket I was wearing?" Pirozzi is one of the four major tailors in Naples, but in Japan, he's only known to a select few. I was really impressed that he was such an unusual salesperson for a department store.
Yamaguchi : Later, I met him again at a bespoke tailoring event for Gennaro Solito (who is also one of the four great tailors of Naples), where I was working as his interpreter. At the time, I was working and making time to go to Naples to learn Neapolitan tailoring techniques from Gennaro.
My serious relationship with Narita began when I heard about it and ordered a garment from him, saying, "Well, then, why don't you make one for me?" I think that was in 2012. It was before "La Scala" was launched.
Since then, Mr. Yamaguchi Narita has ordered about 10 garments from us, and he remains one of the customers who makes me the most nervous.
Narita : But there's still so much more I want to say. Mr. Yamaguchi's clothes easily cost 500,000 to 600,000 yen. For the same amount of money, you could get most designer suits. So why ask Mr. Yamaguchi? Because it's more fun to invest now in clothes that have the potential to become even more wonderful in the future, rather than clothes that are already perfect. It's also a reflection of my own way of life and how I enjoy myself...

La Scala Nobuto Yamaguchi's bespoke suits, crafted with Neapolitan techniques, beautifully flatter the Japanese physique. A half-made fitting (usually just one) is performed as shown on the left, gradually bringing the suit closer to the ideal finished product.

Tailored suits start from ¥356,400
*Delivery: Approximately 3 months later

I'm truly indebted to Mr. Yamaguchi Narita, and he even entrusted me with repairing my Pirozzi.
The top tailors at Narita Europe generally don't accept requests like, "Change this here." However, sometimes you feel that something just doesn't fit after it's finished. Especially with bespoke suits, delivery isn't the true final product. Sometimes, after it's settled into your body to some extent, a second pressing can make it look fantastic, and often minor adjustments are needed in various parts. If you had to take it all the way to Naples for each of those adjustments, it would never end (laughs).
Yamaguchi: This is something that would normally never happen, so it was a very valuable experience for me.
Narita: Actually, I'd like to be the one receiving payment (laughs). After all, I'm providing the best textbook. There aren't many people who can take apart clothes made by someone like that god.
Yamaguchi : They really dislike it when other people get involved.
Narita : What I was trying to say is that I enjoy the opportunity to create things together with Mr. Yamaguchi. Interacting with young craftsmen is a great source of inspiration for me.

The clothes that Yamaguchi makes have a seamless, rich texture.

According to Mr. Narita, anyone can make a suit that is simply comfortable to wear. So, what are the important points in suit making?

I think the reason I specifically order custom-made clothes from Narita is that they flatter each individual's physique while making them look smart. If I were to compare Yamaguchi's clothes to wine, they have a seamless flavor. They are elegant, yet they don't sacrifice comfort.
Yamaguchi : If you feel that way, then perhaps it's largely due to my experience learning in Naples. Japanese tailors take measurements of every single part of the body to create a pattern. This works well for people with well-proportioned figures, but for those with less-than-ideal figures, it can actually accentuate their flaws. On the other hand, tailors in Naples prioritize the maker's aesthetic sense and then adapt it to the customer's body shape. If there are any parts that don't fit, they make bold adjustments during the fitting. This way, the maker's style is more easily reflected in the garment no matter who wears it. However, it's incredibly inefficient.

La Scala Made to Measure offers a glimpse into Nobuhito Yamaguchi's world of tailoring. By applying bespoke pattern-making techniques to factory production, they have achieved a soft and comfortable fit.

Tailored suits start from ¥106,920
*Delivery: Approximately 5 weeks later

Narita: Now that I hear that Mr. Yamaguchi is starting a made-to-measure service, there's one thing I want to say. This type of order service is available in many places, and there are countless articles out there claiming that you can enjoy the essence of a suit that normally costs 500,000 to 600,000 yen for about 100,000 yen with a made-to-measure service. That's practically impossible, isn't it? The same can be said for wine. Take Henri Jayer, for example. Bottles costing over 1 million yen are commonplace, and 2 million or 3 million yen is the norm. Yet, a wine made by his last apprentice is advertised as having the exact same feel as Henri Jayer, for 10,000 yen a bottle. That's just unbelievable, isn't it? Bespoke and made-to-measure are fundamentally different things. However, it goes without saying that the essence of Mr. Yamaguchi's clothing lies elsewhere, but I think it's wonderful that people can easily enjoy that atmosphere and, above all, experience the joy of ordering a suit. In short, it's like trying the lunch set menu at a first-class restaurant as a starting point. You can really feel Mr. Yamaguchi's essence as a craftsman even in this made-to-measure process.
This is something I've always wanted to do, in order to reach more customers than just Yamaguchi , and I personally handle the pattern making and various checks. I don't intend to compare it to bespoke, but compared to machine-made garments in the same price range, I think I've created a beautiful garment.

＊All prices include tax.

inquiry
Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 4th Floor = International Luxury
Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 5th Floor = Made to Measure
03-3352-1111 (main representative)