Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store has launched "Trad Channel" with the theme of enjoying traditional styles across generations. For the inaugural event, they welcomed Michihiko Kei, who runs the YouTube channel "Kay_Standard_Style_TOKYO," and Yuhei Yamamoto, owner of Tailor Kade in Shibuya, for a talk show held on August 29th (Saturday) at the Authentic Clothing section on the 2nd floor of the main building of Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store.

A master of traditional style will offer styling advice, including actual outfit examples, and discuss iconic traditional items along with classic films that influenced their fashion choices.

▶Click here for a list of "Trad Channel" series
▶Related video: Footage from the talk show is being streamed on various social media platforms.
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Mitsukoshi Official YouTube

As we head into autumn, let's start by looking at the outfits of some masters of traditional style.

Keiichi Michihiko (hereinafter, Keiichi): Today's style is my favorite Newport blazer, which Mr. Yamamoto made for me about 10 years ago, paired with heavy linen white pants. The outfit is inspired by Nick (Tobey Maguire), the love interest of Gatsby (Robert Redford), the main character of the movie "The Great Gatsby" (1974), going to a party. If it were just navy and white with a regimental tie, it would look like the 1930s, so I added a cap and sneakers to give it a more contemporary feel.

Yuhei Yamamoto (hereinafter, Yamamoto) : Kei-san's blazer order was for "a blazer that can be worn like a tweed jacket, and can be paired with heavy-weight items such as denim," so I chose vintage hopsack material. His selection of trousers is also impressive.

Keii Heavy Linen is wrinkle-resistant and can be worn even in early autumn, so I find it very useful.


Yamamoto: As a tailor, I work on Kei's wardrobe, and he orders about two garments per season, depending on the time of year. What I find amazing about Kei is that even after a garment is finished, he doesn't wear it right away. He lets it sit for about a year, looking at the blazer, and then ideas for how to wear it come to him. Once the image and shape are finalized, he appears before me with an incredible outfit! He's a master at bringing together the best of the materials.

Keiichi , even Yamamoto's sense of style is anything but straightforward.


Yamamoto: The Madras check jacket I'm wearing might look vintage, but it's actually made from a current material by Fox Brothers, a summer wool called "Dark Madras." It's a check pattern designed for businessmen to wear to work.
The Golden Age style involves keeping everything minimal except for the jacket: a dark Madras blouse, a white button-down shirt, a black knit tie, gray trousers, and more. My image of this style is a bit different from the typical New York style; it's more like the sophisticated look of a 1950s or 60s jazz musician.

With the blazer, a staple of traditional style, as the centerpiece, enjoy the changing seasons in your wardrobe.

Yamamoto: Japan has four seasons, but I like to feel the seasons by looking at what people wear. When Kei-san starts wearing seersucker, I feel it's early summer; when I see her in a chestnut corduroy suit, I feel it's early autumn; and when I see her in a gray herringbone jacket as the wind picks up, I feel it's the arrival of winter.


Kei: I mainly wear blazers in September and October, so these two months are a time of patience for me (lol).
This is the time of year when we eagerly await wearing autumnal and wintery materials like tweed, corduroy, and flannel, which will begin in November. Similarly, blazers are also frequently worn in March and April.
The great thing about blazers is that you can easily add a seasonal touch with just a sweater. A navy blazer alone can be monotonous, so I like to wear a thin cashmere sweater, drape it over my shoulders like a director, or tie it around my waist. I use soft sweaters to create different color palettes in my outfits.

There's no other item that expresses a person's personality as much as a Yamamoto blazer. Each person has their own unique way of coordinating a navy blazer, and it really brings out their personality. It's a basic style, but surprisingly difficult!

Focusing solely on Kei-I tea might make it difficult to create variety, but the interesting thing about it is that you can hone your sense of style by learning more.

Andy Warhol always loved Brooks Brothers flannel blazers, button-down shirts, rep ties, and Levi's 501 jeans, but even in such ordinary, everyday attire, he still looked like an artist. A Brooks Brothers blazer looked like cutting-edge, passionate clothing on him. That's how much personality comes through in his style.

Now, let's get to the main point. Watch the movie and experience the depth and charm of traditional culture.

Yamamoto: There's a film I had the opportunity to see when I was in junior high school, and I've been following it ever since. It's called "Jazz on a Summer's Day" (1959), a documentary film that captures the Newport Jazz Festival, one of America's largest music festivals in 1958. What's most interesting about it is the way the audience dresses. The fashion of the time, from jazz musicians to Ivy League style, is sketched out in this documentary, and no matter how many times I watch it, it remains fashionable and timeless. Kei-san, your way of watching movies is also unique, isn't it?

Kei: I watch it at least three times: once, then a second time without subtitles, and a third time to check the details. Just like with novels, you can't understand it after only one viewing.


Yamamoto: In our line of work, we make it a habit to observe the fine details, consider the context of the outfit, and incorporate that into the tailoring...it's become a habit, you know (laughs).
From the back view of a coat to the length of trousers and the style of a collar, Golden Age films are truly a treasure trove. I often recommend them to my customers.

Kei: For example, what kind of movies do you recommend to your customers?


Steve McQueen in Yamamoto's film "The Great Escape" (1963) wears an A2 flight jacket, a sweatshirt, and military pants, and along with his nonchalant demeanor, he seems to have left a strong impression on younger generations who saw it for the first time.
Also, I tried to imitate how Travis (Robert De Niro), who returns from the Vietnam War in "Taxi Driver," wears a tanker jacket, flannel shirt, denim pants, and Western boots when he's out and about in town.

I see . In Martin Scorsese's "New York, New York" (1977), on August 15, 1945, in New York, as the city rejoices in victory over Japan, Robert De Niro drops his military uniform on the floor, steps on it with his boots, and then confidently heads off to a party in an aloha shirt—that scene is quite memorable, isn't it? It has so many meanings.

Yamamoto: There are all sorts of movies, but clothing always makes an appearance. Military, sportswear, Western, workwear, and other styles have all survived and become the staples of today's wardrobe that everyone is familiar with.

What do Cary Grant, Woody Allen, and Michihiko Kei have in common?

Speaking of classic movie stars, Cary Grant, even in his 50s, is incredibly cool! He only ever wears gray suits and gray ties, but that's what makes him so stylish. I learned the importance of "stripping away the unnecessary" from him and his movies.

Yamamoto Cary Grant is "good at minimalism." His hair color, suit color, and tie color are usually the same, his shirt is always white, and his shoes are black dress boots—super simple. But what's amazing is that whether it's a tuxedo or a sports jacket, he basically wears them with the "same vibe." He doesn't feel pressured just because it's a tuxedo.

I said we should strip away the unnecessary, but that doesn't apply to young people. Young people should buy lots of clothes and wear them (laughs). You won't know if something suits you until you try it on!

Yamamoto : And Woody Allen is another example. Whether he's walking down the street in a tweed jacket and chinos or going to a party in a tuxedo, he maintains the "same vibe."
And there's another person like Keiichi. Whether it's a suit tailored by Tailor Kade, a Brooks Brothers cotton jacket, or shorts, he wears them with the same energy and becomes "Michihiko Keiichi." This is truly a sign of a well-dressed person, and it's my highest form of compliment, but it might be a keyword that needs to be passed on to the next generation.

After many fashion mistakes, I've reached my 50s and, like Cary Grant, I've stopped buying flashy clothes. I now think about how to put together an outfit before buying, and even with a three-piece suit, I can mix and match the pieces to create about 10 different looks. I find that easy-to-mix-and-match pieces are very useful.

People talk about "traditional style refugees," but let's rediscover the charm and appeal of traditional style.

Yamamoto , especially Kei, has a wonderful approach to her wardrobe. I've been seeing her wear this blazer more often lately.

I had it made by Kei Yamamoto and wore it for two or three years. Then, the trend shifted towards tighter silhouettes, so I stopped wearing it. But since last year, silhouettes with dropped shoulders have become popular, so I've started wearing it again. Blazers are a staple, so you can't just wear them without thinking; you need a sense of sizing, and that's something you have to constantly refine.

Yamamoto is a true example of a well-dressed person. Clothes are your companions, and the accumulation of details becomes your personality. Choose, make mistakes, watch movies and empathize, find what suits you, and enjoy coordinating outfits. Eventually, it becomes a "wardrobe you can wear even 10 years from now" in your closet. Because it's something personal, I want you to cherish the feeling of upliftment you get when you wear it.


Yes , the autumn/winter season is about to begin, but before you start shopping for your autumn/winter clothes, let me tell you about a movie you should watch. It's the suspense thriller "Murder in the Air" (1982) directed by Robert Benton. Sam (Roy Scheider), a psychiatrist in New York, wears a gray and brown herringbone jacket, a high-neck button-down shirt, and a black knit tie, and after watching this movie, you'll want to go to Tailor Cade! It's a perfect example of a standard.

What I often refer to as "trad refugees" is the fact that in this era, it's difficult to obtain orthodox items even though people want them. However , the 1% of hardcore people out of 100 million people have always been alive and well. I think fashion isn't about personal preference, but about finding someone whose frequency matches yours. I always want to send a message to those who share my frequency with Kei and me, and pass it on to the next generation.






▶Click here for a list of "Trad Channel" series
▶Related video: Footage from the talk show is being streamed on various social media platforms.
Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Men's Clothing Official Instagram
Mitsukoshi Official YouTube