Just as each customer has their own way of enjoying fashion and lifestyle, the shop stylists who welcome them are also a collection of unique and passionate individuals. This time, we'll hear from Mr. Sakai, a leather jacket enthusiast who owns more than 30 leather jackets at home, as he shares his knowledge, passion, and deep insights into the world of leather jackets.

I bought a pair of Schott One Star sunglasses at Ameyoko, influenced by my older brother.

Mr. Sakai, the shop manager of DOUBLE RL on the 7th floor Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building is a leather jacket enthusiast. He owns more than 30 leather jackets at home, but he says he decluttered a considerable number after getting married, and that he used to own even more. In his previous job as a vintage clothing buyer, he was stationed in the United States and has come into contact with all kinds of vintage leather. Despite having seen so much leather, he says, "I still come across leather I've never seen before, so it's incredibly fun." "Both leather and DOUBLE RL have stories, so I'm never tired of them," Mr. Sakai says with a laugh, and his leather journey dates back to his junior high school days.


"My older brother loved hardcore and punk music, so I listened to the Ramones and Sex Pistols too. Back then, my brother's style was modeled after those musicians, with leather jackets, band t-shirts, Levi's 606s, and Converse sneakers, and I naturally started imitating him. I got my hands on a pair of Schott One Star sneakers at Ameyoko when I was in my third year of junior high school. The leather back then was much thicker steerhide and incredibly stiff. I remember buying them in a really tight size. I wanted them to break in quickly, so I even slept in them at home (laughs)."

The idea of "wearing them in the bath (denim only)" and "wearing them to sleep" to break in denim and leather jackets was common knowledge among American casual fashion enthusiasts back then. Magazines raved about it, but in reality, very few people actually did it. However, Mr. Sakai apparently did it regularly.

"I started imitating the style of band members, turning up my collar, adding studs, and distressing the denim I paired it with. It was all thanks to music that I learned to enjoy leather as a fashion item. My favorite music hasn't changed even now."

Like many others, Sakai is also a former band member. From high school until graduating from university, he aimed to become a professional musician, but he became completely immersed in vintage and music-related styles.


The leather jacket I'm wearing today was previously released by DOUBLE RL , and I acquired it two years ago. Its design is based on Levi's® 2nd type denim jacket.

"A 2nd type design in leather is rare, but I felt it was fate. Actually, TAKE-SHIT from the Japanese heavy metal band COCOBAT, whom I'm a big fan of, wore a Levi's® 2nd type as his iconic piece."

He was dressed up with a tie on this day, but apparently, in his private life, he prefers to wear something like a zip-up sweatshirt hoodie.


" DOUBLE RL often incorporates details inspired by vintage pieces, and this is a prime example. From the way the pattern is made, to whether it has buttons or a zipper, to the shape and placement of the pockets, every detail of a leather jacket is carefully considered and made with a reason. DOUBLE RL reconstructs that history and story. Every season, DOUBLE RL 's collection tells a vintage story, and the fact that it always offers a new and exciting experience is due to their deep consideration of history. That's why, once you're hooked on leather and DOUBLE RL , you might never be able to escape."

When he's working in the store wearing his beloved leather jacket, he dresses in a way that expresses the world of DOUBLE RL , but on his days off, he dresses more casually, like a band member. Sakai has been obsessed with leather jackets for over 20 years now.

A discerning eye for vintage leather honed in Texas, where vintage clothing from all over the United States gathers.

While continuing his band activities, Sakai took a job at a trading company that dealt in vintage clothing after graduating from university. He spent his days traveling all over the United States as a buyer. He wanted to continue his band activities, so he wanted to avoid being away from Japan for long periods of time on business trips, but he was ordered by his company to stay in Texas as a buyer. The band had to be put on hiatus at that time, but he turned his attention to clothing as a reaction to that.


"I spent a total of four to five years in Texas, and every day I was buying vintage clothing by myself. All the vintage clothing in the US gathers in Texas first. There are many warehouses there, and I would mingle with the immigrants sorting the regular vintage clothing and buy the vintage items that they overlooked or deliberately didn't pick up. When I found several pieces of leather in good condition, I would buy them for myself, so I gained a lot of experience with leather."

Among the tattered old clothes, Sakai would occasionally find vintage leather pieces. And among the newer leather pieces mixed in, if he found something promising, it would usually have a "POLO Ralph Lauren" tag, which sparked his admiration for POLO RALPH LAUREN . When he returned to Japan and considered changing jobs, he was offered a position at POLO RALPH LAUREN DOUBLE RL during an interview, which in a way may have been fate.

Mr. Sakai's keen eye for leather was cultivated during his time living in Texas. Having seen all kinds of leather jackets, not just motorcycle jackets, Mr. Sakai shared his favorite leather pieces that he still cherishes. Each one is an exceptional item that would impress even the most discerning enthusiast.


This is a Vanson "B Model" that Mr. Sakai purchased as his second leather jacket, following his Schott One Star, around the time he graduated from university and started working.

"Back then, Vanson was popular in fashion magazines, and many musicians were fans too. This single-breasted, stand-collar rider jacket, made from top-grain cowhide with a unique chrome finish, has aged beautifully with wear. It has a vintage-like sheen, and I think it really feels like a one-of-a-kind piece. When I first bought it, it was difficult to even put my arms through the sleeves, but the more I wore it, the more attached I became to it. I can't wear my Schott One Star jacket anymore, but this one is still going strong."


The next brown double-breasted leather jacket is a vintage piece of unknown brand. Apparently, it wasn't a motorcycle rider's jacket, but rather one that was sold as a casual jacket.

"This one is from the 1940s. It's double-breasted, but I think it was made more as a sports jacket than a rider's jacket. It has a zipper made by Conmar, which supplied the US military from the 1930s to the 1960s, so I think it's from a reputable brand, but I don't know the name. But the details are great, like the large collar and the floral pattern on the pocket lining. A lot of jackets from around this period tend to have molded to the owner's body shape or are misshapen, but this one isn't like that, and it's comfortable to wear, so I really like it."


The other item is a varsity jacket with a wool melton body and leather sleeves. It's what's commonly known as a "stadium jacket."

"This is a 1950s Sandknit varsity jacket. Sandknit was an athletic uniform manufacturer from Illinois. It was a long-established company that also manufactured official wear for the four major North American sports leagues, but the brand went out of business in the 1990s. The leather sleeves are in excellent condition. The shape is beautiful, and the wool melton is of good quality. The quality of materials was incredibly high back then."

Mr. Sakai has a broad perspective, from leather jackets to varsity jackets. He also owns various other leather items, such as car coats and flight jackets. His home must have turned into a warehouse for leather jackets.

What leather jacket is Mr. Sakai, who takes such good care of his leather goods, eyeing next?

Mr. Sakai, who owns a wide variety of leather jackets, also has strong opinions on storage and care.


"When leather pieces stick together, they can leave marks or stick together, causing the grain to peel off, so I store them on hangers with some space between them. To protect the grain, it's also important to keep them in good condition by using oil. Before wearing them in a season, I use Pecard's 'Leather Dressing.' At the end of the season, I wipe off the dirt with a remover and apply oil. It's less work than leather shoes."

Pecard is a well-established leather care brand in the United States. It's a paste-like oil known among enthusiasts for maintaining jackets, boots, and other leather goods. For Mr. Sakai, who lived in Texas for a long time, leather care simply wouldn't be complete without it.

"However, it's also not good to care for your leather too frequently. I often get asked for advice on leather care, and many people who say that their leather has mold or stains seem to be cleaning it far too often. If you apply oil, let it soak in thoroughly, and then wipe it off properly, leather is a living material, so it will stay in good condition for about a year."

Using high-quality materials and proper care to keep your cherished leather jacket in good condition for a long time seems to align with DOUBLE RL 's concept of passing down a jacket from generation to generation. When asked about his next purchase, Mr. Sakai replied, "I'm interested in the blue Lewis Leathers jacket that Takuji Mikita of Wolf's Head was wearing on the cover of a magazine I recently came across for the first time in a while," showing his unmistakable, enthusiastic perspective. If you're a leather enthusiast, why not go and meet Mr. Sakai sometime?

At "ISETAN MITSUKOSHI LUXURY"
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