Currently, La Favola suits are quite interesting. It's been said for a long time that "suits are in decline," but a new style of pairing them with crew necks and white sneakers has taken root in the business scene, and a new concept of "suits" has emerged in casual settings, such as being paired with blousons or parkas. Amidst this trend, La Favola is a popular brand, especially among well-known select shops. It's a brand with many fans within the industry, and Inaba, the buyer at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building is one of them. This time, an international collaboration has been realized, with La Favola suits being sewn by the prestigious Italian company CARUSO .

Taira Tsuyoshi

la favola designer

Starting in a sewing factory, she built her career in the fashion industry as a select shop staff member and buyer, before launching her own brand, la favola, in 2019.

Tomohiro Inaba

Isetan Shinjuku Store Men's Tailored Clothing Buyer

While well-versed in dress clothing styles such as Italian classic and British traditional, they practice new styling that is not bound by conventional rules.

La Favola is a new era of tailored clothing that has gained popularity among industry insiders.

A few years ago, Takeshi Taira, who worked as a buyer for a certain famous select shop, became the talk of the town for an original suit he had made privately at the request of a friend. At the time, he was a frequent visitor to Pitti Uomo, the international menswear trade show held in Florence, Italy, and the suit he wore during his visits to Italy was one he had drawn the pattern for himself, drawing on his experience as a tailor in a garment factory.

Whenever friends and acquaintances asked, "Where did you get that outfit?", he would reply that he made it himself, and then requests started pouring in like, "Make me a suit sometime!" He had only been taking on a few bespoke orders through word of mouth, but in 2019, he began mass-producing these bespoke suits, which had become the talk of the industry, as ready-to-wear clothing. Then, as if they had been waiting for this opportunity, orders started pouring in from major select shops. Inaba, who had just become a buyer at the time, had been captivated by La Favola, a brand that could be described as having risen from the ranks of the independent fashion world, since its first season.

"Up until then, I had been following in the footsteps of my seniors and wearing various classic clothes, but it's true that I was trying to act older than I was, given my age and personality at the time. Even so, I was trying to come up with outfits and sizes that felt somehow like me. That's when I saw Ms. Hira's clothes at the La Favola exhibition, and I suddenly felt like, 'This is the clothing I've been looking for!'"

He was wearing a La Favola suit on this day as well. According to Mr. Taira, it was inspired by the uniforms of American railroad workers.

"This design is inspired by American work jackets from the early 1900s, which I learned about from a friend who loves American traditional style. The chest pockets are positioned low, and the V-zone is deep. The buttons are also low, but that's where your hands naturally rest. The hem is a wide, V-shaped cutaway. While the design base is different from classic suits, I've incorporated classic techniques in key areas, such as using techniques from Japanese jackets of the Showa era for the upper collar."

From this point on, the interview became lively as Mr. Taira, who has experience working in a sewing factory, and Inaba discussed the intricate techniques used for each part of the garment. They talked about how to create the curve of the back, how to insert the shoulder seams, and how ironing is done differently in Italy and Japan—all fascinating topics for classic clothing enthusiasts. However, after talking for a while, Mr. Taira laughed and said, "I try not to talk about things like that too much." His belief that the quality of clothing is conveyed by wearing it rather than by words resonates with the pride of a craftsman. Mr. Taira, who had stated at the beginning, "I am a designer, not a tailor," was undoubtedly a patternmaker with the spirit of a true craftsman.

Taira, who has experience in women's clothing sewing and European fashion, designs menswear.

Inaba , Mr. Taira originally worked in a sewing factory, right? Have you always liked classic clothing since you were young?

I worked in a women's clothing factory, not a men's clothing factory. Furthermore , both of my parents came from families of tailors in Hyogo Prefecture. My father ran his own tailor shop, so I disliked classic clothing from a young age (laughs).

Perhaps it's because of Inaba's rebellious spirit (lol).

Even so, the reason I ended up working at a sewing factory was simply because a friend's family factory was looking for workers. I had grown up surrounded by thread and fabric, so it didn't feel strange to me.

Inaba , and afterwards, you worked as a salesperson at a shop, right?

When I was younger , I longed for a glamorous world, so I saved up money and went shopping for clothes with my friends. At that time, I thought shop staff were cool, so I changed jobs and started working at a select shop that sells imported brands.

What brands did Inaba handle?

These include imported brands like Giorgio Armani and Jean Paul Gaultier, as well as designer brands like Y's.

This is a very fashionable style, the complete opposite of Inaba's classic sound.

After that , I worked at several select shops and went on wandering trips, seeing all sorts of clothes. Of all the things I studied, I think it was classic clothing that I researched the most. I bought clothes from many brands of classic Italian clothing and took them apart. Neapolitan tailoring is really interesting because each piece has its own unique character. I went to Pitti Uomo for many years to find such clothes.

Inaba : Oh, so Mr. Hirai used to be a buyer for a select shop, right?

I was approached by Director Taira and came to Tokyo to work as a buyer. I'm still involved as an advisor now.

Why did you start making your own clothes, Inaba ?

Whenever I went to Pitti Uomo twice a year , I happened to be wearing a jacket I had sewn myself, and my friends would often ask me, "Where did you get that?" At first, I thought it was just polite conversation, but when I returned to Japan, they actually asked me to make one for them, so that's how it all started. After that, I was offered the opportunity to mass-produce the jackets, and when I held an exhibition, quite a few stores contacted me. Isetan was one of them.

Inaba: I felt that Mr. Taira's clothes had a different sense of style than the classics I had seen before. That cleared up something that had been bothering me. I was convinced that it was a suit for a new era that broke with the rules and common sense of the time. I think that was because Mr. Taira had the technical skills to back up the sense of style he had cultivated at European fashion and designer brands.

I personally think of my work as blending elements of designer and women's wear with classic tailoring as a base. I like to create tailored pieces that have a longer length or have more natural-looking button placements. In my impressionable late teens, I only had the opportunity to see photographers' work in photobooks and on street posters, and I was greatly inspired by the works of various photographers. I am often inspired by such works.
By simply adjusting the waistline, increasing the hemline, or making slight changes to the balance, a garment can be dramatically transformed. Even those who prefer traditional tailoring may find this surprisingly satisfying.

What is the collaboration suit between La Favola and Caruso, brought together by ISETAN MEN'S ?

La Favola x Caruso Suit ¥242,000 View Product
□Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building, 5th Floor, Men's Tailored Clothing / Mitsukoshi Isetan Online Store

Inaba: I reached out to Caruso because I wanted them to sew something that reflects Mr. Taira's sensibilities.

To be honest, I only knew Caruso by name, and I wasn't very familiar with his clothing.

This factory was founded in Parma by Raphael Caruso, who previously ran a tailor shop in Naples. While they also produce their own branded products, they also handle OEM production for well-known high-end luxury brands in Paris and Milan.

I've heard that they're a very skilled factory. La Favola uses tailoring methods that aren't bound by existing techniques, so it would be difficult for a stubborn factory to tailor their garments.

Inaba: Parma factories have always been known for their skill in tailoring clothes according to patterns, unlike those in Milan or Naples. They might even be more flexible than the factories that handle La Favola's ready-to-wear clothing (laughs).

I frequently visit Hirama 's factory and have built a good relationship with them. As I also have experience as a seamstress, I think I understand what they might be reluctant to do or what might be difficult. Even so, I still end up commissioning them without worrying too much (laughs). This time, I supervised the jacket pattern, and after consulting with Inaba, we chose linen as the material.

Inaba trousers were designed in consultation with Caruso, and from their existing designs, we selected a wide, straight silhouette that matches the feel of Mr. Taira's jacket. With Mr. Taira's jacket and Caruso trousers, I think we've created a suit that combines the best of both worlds. The first sample has arrived, so we'll fine-tune it from here. I look forward to seeing you at the pop-up store opening on March 8th on the 5th floor Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building .

I , too, am looking forward to being at the store during this period.

La Favola x Caruso Suit ¥242,000 View Product
□Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building, 5th Floor, Men's Tailored Clothing / Mitsukoshi Isetan Online Store

Text: Yasuyuki Ikeda
Photo: Tatsuya Ozawa

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