It's just a shirt, but it's also more than just a shirt. While keeping up with trends, I won't compromise on my personal style.
For fans of Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building everyone knows Yukihiko Hatori, Assistant Buyer of Men's Tailored Clothing; Masaki Taniguchi, Assistant Buyer of Dress Shirts and Ties; and Tomohiko Hanano, Stylist of Dress Shirts and Ties.
Shirts are the foundation of any outfit, and the ideal form is something I constantly strive for, which naturally leads to bespoke tailoring. Enjoy this in-depth discussion about our exclusive, meticulously crafted bespoke shirts!

First, how would you answer the question, "What's the difference between ready-made and custom-made clothing?"

---Even though we simply say "shirt," there are various types out there, such as ready-made, pattern-made, and fully bespoke. What are your impressions of the difference between ready-made and bespoke shirts, something that many people think they know but don't really?

Hatori: As I'm in charge of custom suits, I'm often asked, "What kind of shirt should I wear with this suit?" I reply, "Because I do a lot of custom suits and shirts, I immediately recommend custom-made shirts. That's because custom-made shirts offer more freedom in terms of fabric, details, and fit, and they're also more cost-effective."
Taniguchi: I also mostly order custom-made shirts these days. When I first joined the company, I wore ready-made imported shirts, but with ready-made shirts, you always need to have the sleeves altered, so I was stressed out because I couldn't wear them right away after buying them.
Then, when I started handling custom-made shirts, I realized that "even though it's the same act of 'waiting,' I don't dislike custom-made shirts because I can look forward to the finished product." The stress of waiting for alterations decreased.


I completely understand how Hanano Taniguchi feels. In my case, on the contrary, ready-made garments always have sleeves that are too short, so I see custom-made garments as a "solution to the problems with ready-made garments."
Furthermore, as I customized the size and design, I started to develop a passion for ordering custom-made suits and other garments, starting with custom-made shirts. I now enjoy thinking about my outfits from the perspective of a custom-made shirt.
Hatori: If someone asked me now, "What's the biggest advantage of a custom-made shirt?", I would first answer, "You can customize details like the collar and cuffs to your liking."
Taniguchi: That's right. At first, I was just satisfied with the sizing, but now I order shirts with a feeling that's almost like modifying the details. When I'm serving customers in the store, they often notice the collar style I'm wearing because it's an unusual shirt that you don't find in ready-made shirts.
Hanano: I often get asked by customers, "Is that a custom order?" And as I explain it, they become interested in custom orders, and some even place their first custom order to create their own style.


Many people tend to think of Taniguchi custom shirts as simply "fitting the size," but because of the nature of our work, we also see custom shirts as a way to achieve a desired look, such as "making it easy to match with the clothes you already own" or "wanting to wear this kind of outfit next summer, so I want a shirt like this."
I've made countless shirts where I messed up by tinkering with Hatori details (laughs), but because of those failures, I've also made some successful shirts, and those have become my own valuable assets.
Hanano Hatori has a masterpiece known as "Hatori Tab" !

The story behind the creation of the "Hatori Tab," which was perfected through millimeter-level adjustments, and what motivated each individual to start paying attention to these details.

―The "Hatori Tab" was created through a series of failures and successes. It seems to be a model among the stylists at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building , but what is the actual process behind the creation of this collar style?

I first became interested in Hatori 's custom-made shirts during my first year at the company. Initially, I tried a standard shirt using one of Isetan's original collar styles, without making any changes. Then, I started experimenting with collar styles, specifically the tab collar. The appeal of the tab collar lies in its ability to lift the tie, creating a beautiful, three-dimensional V-zone. While it looked great in magazines, when I actually had one made, it never quite achieved the ideal look...
Then, I adjusted the length, width, and position of the tab down to the millimeter, making sure the tie without a stiffener would "tighten up" and that's how I arrived at this balance.


Minoru Hanano also had quite a few failures with tab collars, and the reason was the same as Mr. Hatori's: "Why won't the tie lift up!?" which caused me a lot of trouble (laughs).
After much trial and error, I discovered the correct method, which is what's known as the "Hatori Tab." When I tried imitating it, it lifted beautifully. Tab colors are difficult to balance, with the length of the tab and the hardness of the core being crucial, so the satisfaction of the finished product is very high.
Both Taniguchi and I have a strong preference for tab collars (laughs). I'm a little different from them; my entry point into custom-made shirts was a comment from a senior colleague: "Taniguchi, why are you wearing shirts with such open collars? You don't know anything about shirts!" It was during the classic Italian fashion boom, and I remember having a shirt custom-made while learning about classic attire from a senior colleague who was a gentleman who never took off his jacket, no matter the circumstances.
Hanano : Oh yes, Hatori-san is also experimenting with shirt colors in addition to the details, right?
When I first joined Hatori , I had shirts made in gray, pink, and red, and since then I've settled on blue tones, but now about 70% of the shirts in my closet are white. Furthermore, I'm currently ordering a yellow shirt, and I've found a nice fabric, so I'm trying out a color I've always admired!
Taniguchi: Half of my shirts are white and 30% are blue, but surprisingly, I really like the green multi-striped ones. It's a fabric you don't often see in ready-made clothes, so it gives a custom-made feel and allows for unique outfit combinations, which is why I find it so useful.
Hatori: Right now, almost all the shirts in my closet are custom-made. When I looked back at my shirts for this interview, I realized again that I'm unconsciously conscious of the fit. The shirts that made me happy because they were my ideal fit naturally remain, and then similar shirts are mass-produced in different materials and colors (laughs).