OUAT is located on the first floor of a vintage apartment building not far from the Yarigasaki intersection. Although it's on the first floor, it's tucked away at the back of the building, accessed by a ramp, making it difficult to find, and it might seem intimidating to just wander in. However, this shop is highly regarded by stylists, artists, and other people with exceptional taste.

The goal was to create a comfortable space.

"When I first became interested in clothes, European designer brands were at their peak. I mainly source from the US, UK, and France, but I also travel to Eastern Europe and socialist countries because I personally like their atmosphere."


Ryosuke Tamura, the owner, buyer, and original designer, refers to himself as the director. Although OUAT is often introduced as a vintage clothing store, more than half of the store's inventory is now made up of original brands, and the proportion of vintage clothing is not high. He hasn't been able to visit Europe, where he used to frequently go buying, for a year now.

"More than selling vintage clothes, I'm interested in the concept behind the creation of the clothes and the space and atmosphere in which they are displayed. I've always wanted to create such a place with my own hands. I like vintage clothes, but I don't think the vintage clothes I like will appeal to the masses. Besides, I've always worn pretty much the same clothes since I was young, and I don't buy clothes in large quantities."

The shop displays both original brand items and vintage clothing. These aren't the typical bulk-purchased flannel shirts and jeans you often see, but rather functional clothing from European designer brands and military uniforms, each piece carefully selected. The quality is impeccable. A women's Lanvin tweed jacket I casually picked up stood out with its modern classic tailoring, something rarely seen in current creations. I learned that even when they travel abroad for buying trips, they prioritize visiting museums and galleries. When I asked if they came from an art, design, or architecture background, they said no.


"I'm from Hiroshima. I was just an ordinary university student who thought that a four-year liberal arts degree would guarantee me a job. But then one day, I suddenly felt that what I liked was a little different from what other people liked. Around the time I started to think that what I thought was normal wasn't so normal after all, I began to see what I really wanted to do."

Tamura says that it was all about creating the space. He had a clear vision of the space where the vintage clothes and miscellaneous goods would be placed, as well as the walls, ceiling, and fixtures. At the age of 21, he dropped out of university, which he had entered with a scholarship, and headed straight to Tokyo. He opened the vintage clothing store "Once Upon A Time" in Yutenji when he was 25, and in 2019, he changed the store name to just the initials and moved to the current location.

I'm quite familiar with "Once Upon a Time." It was a stylish vintage clothing store located next to the traffic light at the entrance to Mishuku Hospital, along Ryūunji Street, heading from Hebizure towards Setagaya. The potted plants displayed in front of the store were tasteful, and I thought it was probably run by a well-bred young man from Setagaya or Meguro who had repurposed a vacant property.

Original creations that don't follow textbooks have officially begun.

"At the time of the relocation, I launched two brands: OUAT , which specializes in clothing for this store, and MORSE, a label that develops a wider range of products through more personal projects. However, I haven't studied clothing design, so it's not like the textbooks that established designers follow. I'm working with reliable pattern makers and production managers, and gradually increasing the number of styles."

But my basic preferences haven't changed, so I continue to work on creating things by adapting American special forces uniforms into original designs and translating Bauhaus-style aesthetics into patterns. Now that I can no longer travel abroad to buy clothes, I feel more inclined to make them myself.


"I'm not trying to make a name for myself as a designer or as a brand. This place is important to me. If it brings more people here, I thought maybe I could try a pop-up at Isetan. I'm interested to see how people who visit Isetan will view the clothes here."

From Wednesday, February 10th, for one week, pop-up shops for men's and women's items will be held simultaneously at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 6th floor Men's Contemporary and Main Building 2nd floor Re-Style TOKYO. Prior to this, OUAT and MORSE items will also be available for purchase at the Mitsukoshi Isetan online store from Wednesday, February 3rd.

Mitsukoshi Isetan staff members will actually try on the collection.

Prior to this pop-up event, Matsuoka, who is in charge of digital Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building , and Sarashina, who is in charge of Re-Style TOKYO on the 2nd floor of the main building, both staff members from Mitsukoshi Isetan who accompanied us, tried on items selected by Tamura from the collection, as well as items that caught their eye.

OUAT distinctive designs are not only inspired by vintage clothing, but also reflect Tamura's current mood. We'll go through the fitting process while explaining everything from the material selection to the detailed work.

First, we asked Tamura-san to select the items that Matsuoka would wear.

BLACK MOTORCYCLE COAT×BLACK WORK TROUSERS

The linen canvas coat that Tamura selected for Matsuoka to use as a burlap sack has a urethane coating only on the outside. The inside is bare linen, and its rough texture makes it easy to imagine that the surface coating will gradually develop a vintage look over time.


"These clothes were designed with texture in mind. I intentionally left the urethane resin seeping into the seams as is. I think that's what makes them interesting. You can wear the coat, shirt, and pants as a set, but they also look great worn individually. The fringes on the pockets are made from washi paper yarn produced by a yarn shop in Kyoto, which I hand-unraveled and used."

Matsuoka, who tried on the coat and pants as a set, commented, "The texture gives it an overwhelming presence. It's a texture I've never worn before. I'm excited to imagine how the linen canvas will change over time. It would also be fun to think about styling each item individually."

CHEMICAL PROTECTIVE JACKET

When asked about other items that caught his eye, Matsuoka chose this jacket.

Based on the uniforms of American special forces, this modernly reimagined blouson is a utility garment made from stretch material. It features Velcro fasteners on the cuffs and back, and a zippered pocket can be attached to the back. It's the only piece in this collection with a clear reference.



"This hook-and-loop fastener is originally meant for attaching numbering or affiliation labels, but I thought I'd try attaching a detachable pocket instead. I hope that when you wear it, you'll remove the pocket if possible," says Tamura.

The store also had some used uniforms that served as the basis for the design. Tamura apparently really likes this outfit, and decided to use the same design for the women's line as well.


Next up is Sarashina, the shop stylist in charge of Re-Style TOKYO on the second floor of the main building.

CP JACKET

This was the item that caught Sarashina's attention the most.

This blouson, made of 100% silk from Yonezawa, is yet another adaptation of the special forces uniform mentioned earlier. The high collar stand that reveals only the eyes when the hood is up suggests that the base uniform was designed to be worn in dangerous situations where the face needed to be covered.


"This garment can be customized with snap buttons and drawstrings in various sections. The cuffs are designed to prevent wind from getting in by tightening the hem, but normally, you can use them freely to change the silhouette or add an accent to your outfit."

Sarashina seemed very pleased with the outfit, saying, "It's easy to wear and versatile, so I think I can come up with a lot of different outfits. There aren't many women's clothing items with keywords like 'uniform' or 'utility,' so I think it's a very interesting piece of clothing."

WALL KAFTAN

The front panel-cut dress selected by Ms. Tamura for Sarashina is made using only flat patterns and sewing techniques, without the use of gathers. The fabric is silk from Yonezawa, Yamagata Prefecture.


"Yonezawa silk is a tough, thick silk fabric that is often used by high-end fashion houses. This silk has enough body to maintain its shape even when used flat. This garment was made solely on the quality of the fabric, but we deliberately avoided using excessive fabric and focused on the most beautiful aspect ratio for the white areas."

Sarashina, who wore the garment, gave it high praise, saying, "The silk feels great against the skin, and although it's a flat design like a kimono, it's finished as a completely different Western-style garment. I thought it was interesting how this shape creates such a silhouette."

This pop-up event will also feature an exhibition and sale of MORSE collection pieces.

Even as the world is disheartened by the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Tamura, who says, "I was impressed by the large number of young people and the smiles on their faces in Eastern Europe where I went on a buying trip," is full of hope and looking towards the future. She says she's a little shy in front of the camera, but her eyes, which peek out from behind a black mask, are clear and shining brightly.

View OUAT products at the Mitsukoshi Isetan online store.

Men's Contemporary official Instagram: @isetanmens_contemporary
ReStyle TOKYO Official Instagram: @restyle_tokyo_isetanmitsukoshi

Photograph: Natsuko Okada
Text: Yasuyuki Ikeda

＊All prices include tax.

For inquiries, please contact: Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 6th Floor, Men's Contemporary; or Isetan Shinjuku Main Building, 2nd Floor, Re-Style TOKYO.
Phone 03-3352-1111 Main representative
For inquiries via email, please click here.