The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly had a significant impact, leading to a renewed appreciation for domestic production, particularly in terms of "Japanese technological prowess" and "the craftsmanship of Japanese artisans." Cantate is a brand often touted for its domestic production. Indeed, all of its collections are produced in domestic factories. However, designer Shin Matsushima's vision is not a simplistic worship of domestic products, but rather a pride in craftsmanship.


Shin Matsushima, who aimed to become a certified public accountant and had set his sights on attending Hitotsubashi University, chose the path of fashion because "it's something you can only do when you're young," is a person with a mysterious charm. The brand he founded at the age of 25, cantate , is known to have many fans among industry insiders. Described as a "particular" and "intellectual" person, he is well-versed in vintage clothing, a lover of Western boots, and openly declares that "I'm only interested in clothing, food, and shelter." His statement that "I keep all my socks from the same brand and in the same color because I don't want to waste extra time trying to coordinate them after washing" is reminiscent of Jobs and Zuckerberg, who always wore the same clothes, and he weaves together words without hesitation in everything he does.



"I only eat dinner each day. But I decide exactly what I'll eat, which restaurant, and on which day of the week. That way, the restaurants know what I want to eat, and we can build a deeper relationship. I also ask them where the ingredients come from and how they're prepared. I think that deepening my knowledge in that area increases my satisfaction with food, and if I can understand why something tastes good, I can apply that to my clothing design." In terms of being a "creator," clothing and food seem to have something in common.

Pursuit, frustration, and meticulous calculation

"Basically, I'm interested in everything. I have a personality that makes me thoroughly investigate any knowledge I need. If I become interested in something, I'll even sacrifice sleep to research it thoroughly. Even if there's something I don't understand right now, I want to be more knowledgeable than anyone else by tomorrow morning. I may not know everything, but I want to be more knowledgeable than anyone else about the things I do know."

As he spoke, he picked up a mod coat from the rack and began to explain why he uses triple stitching on the front and bar tack stitching, and the conversation eventually extended to the thread. "I used a blend of 35% Cordura nylon because I wanted to resolve the frustrating aspects of 60/40 cloth, but I'm telling the story in an entertaining way because I want it to stick in the memory of the person I'm trying to reach. What people remember are the moments when their emotions were stirred," he said casually. I realized that the "frustrating aspects" are a key point in his clothing design, and that to resolve these, he had grasped the properties of the thread from a vast amount of knowledge, meticulously calculated and finished the garment.

A seasonal collection that starts from yarn.

Every piece in the collection is calculated by Mr. Matsushima, starting from the thread. "I can tell what thread count it is just by looking at it," says Mr. Matsushima, who builds his garments from the thread because of his extensive knowledge, experience, and unwavering confidence. The fact that there isn't a single sample garment that won't be made into a product demonstrates the careful selection of the items.


"If we wanted to, we could make 100 or even 200 samples. But I don't think that would be very meaningful. I don't want to drop even a single sample," said Matsushima, whose shirt cuffs, worn that day, spoke volumes about his meticulous stitching technique, measured down to the millimeter.

This year's band-collar shirt comes in a new color. "It's made with an original fabric woven using extra-long staple Giza cotton, spun into a 60-count single yarn, with the number of warp and weft threads specified. The yarn is singed to reduce fuzz, and the seams are made with flat-felled seams. Look, you can see the puckering all over the armholes. This is because the seams are joined so that the edges of the fabric don't overlap when the shoulder area is folded down, which increases the range of motion in the shoulders and makes it much easier to move."




Naturally, shirts you want to wear every day feature thoughtful details that eliminate any frustrations during everyday movements. The longer back is a design calculated to accommodate body movements when bending forward, and the fabric is constructed from yarn that resists pilling even after washing, thanks to a deep understanding of the yarn's properties. The crisp yet firm texture feels soft and smooth against the skin, and once you try it on, you'll be unconsciously captivated, wanting to collect other colors as well.


Furthermore, the open-collar shirts being released this spring/summer season are the brand's first short-sleeved shirts. Mr. Matsushima explains that the pockets are positioned slightly lower, and the width and sleeve circumference are all finished to have the best possible balance, and that the hem does not flip up. It was clear that this shirt could only be created because Mr. Matsushima had a perfect, complete specification sheet in his head.

I want to create truly great clothes with artisans who are like family to me.

"I don't set a seasonal theme. How do I create a collection? I incorporate the atmosphere of the time into the colors and patterns, but for the designs, I try to remember what kind of clothes my friends and acquaintances have said they would like to wear, and then I try to create those. Rather than clothes that I would like to wear myself, I want to make clothes that someone else would like to wear. The olive green color of the T-shirt made exclusively for Isetan this time is a color that is not in the regular line. I chose it because I thought it would suit Mr. Inaba, the buyer who is also a friend of mine."


He speaks casually, but his words are valuable in an era where many designers are concerned with market trends. It also helps to understand why he said, "I want to be a director rather than a designer."

While often described as a "brand committed to domestic production," it's not that they're committed to domestic production for the sake of manufacturing. It's clear that producing in factories they can oversee allows them to create products they're truly satisfied with, in order to pursue their ideal of craftsmanship. They understand that they can share a certain nuance that simply cannot be conveyed when producing overseas, where living standards, culture, and even dietary habits differ.


"We can create good products because we can see the faces of the people who make them. I have a family-like relationship with the people at the factory. They believe I'm one of their teammates, which is why they understand even the difficult specifications and the details I want to be particular about. They know that Matsushima would do it this way."


Every single one of the partner factories with whom he has a close relationship was discovered by him personally. "The criteria for choosing them was technical skill," Matsushima says casually, but behind those words, one could sense a strong sense of trust. "They are small factories, but I feel like I'm supporting their livelihoods," he murmured.

When he says with a straight face, "I'm confident in my clothes," it's because he has an overwhelming passion that can't be overcome by effort alone. The determination to create, and the knowledge and skills that support it—all of it wasn't built overnight, but accumulated over time. When I asked him, "Isn't the workload too much?" seeing him fighting all of this alone in his atelier, he replied with dignity, "But isn't that normal for someone who makes things?" However, when he softened his expression and said, "If I were reborn in my next life, I'd like to be a Japanese chef. I'm done with being a clothing store owner," he revealed a glimpse of his true, sensitive feelings.

On Wednesday, March 3rd, a total promotion will be held at the sweater and casual shirt section on the 1st floor Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building . Not only shirts, but also coats, pants, and the full collection will be on display. You'll surely understand these clothes better if you talk to the designer himself.