This September, Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building , celebrated its 20th anniversary. The first event in this anniversary year was titled "ALL MEN'S EXHIBITION," and featured a variety of events. Starting October 4th, the second event, "BONDS WITH FASHION," will begin.

The second installment, titled "The Bonds of Fashion," is a project that looks back on the history of ISETAN MEN'S and aims to create masterpieces that will lead to the next 20 years. By selecting best-selling items, masterpieces, and classics that have been supported by customers, and updating them with the essence of Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building , it will produce many special limited editions and pre-release items. Each buyer will share their story about this anniversary collection.

Kei Izumi, the men's tailored clothing buyer on the 5th floor, is reviving the archives of Drake's a prestigious British tie brand. Pay attention to the collection of archive-design ties titled RE:BORN.

[RE:BORN] A modernized version of 80s Hill & Drake

With the casualization of dress wear, the tie-up style had been on the decline, but as a reaction to the widespread trend of going tie-less, there is a movement towards a return to classic styles. Izumi, who has been involved in dress clothing for a long time, also says he is beginning to feel the winds of tie-up return. This season, Izumi has focused on the archives of Hill & Drake, known as the predecessor of the prestigious British tie brand Drake's .

Hill & Drake is a brand name started in 1982 by Michael Drakes, former accessory designer for Aquascutum , and Charles Hill, who was in charge of necktie design at TURNBULL＆ASSER . Later, when Charles went independent, the brand became the current Drake's name. After Michael's retirement, the brand was taken over by his son, Michael Hill, who had left earlier, and Mark Cho of the Hong Kong men's store, The Armoury, is listed as a co-owner.

Drake's continues to operate in central London and has many fans around the world. In Japan, it is best known for its ties, but in its home country, it is a total brand that also produces suits, jackets, shirts, and knitwear, and opened a store on Savile Row in 2019.

Izumi had long been concerned about the fact that the London office held valuable archives from the Hill & Drake era.

"Many international brands, not just tie manufacturers, keep design archives of the designs they've used in their collections. Drake's office also has documents from the company's founding, which are valuable records. For this project, we had archives from the Hill & Drake era of the 1980s brought from the UK, and we selected 16 colors and patterns, including stripes, small patterns, and paisley, from hundreds of different fabrics."

The ties, carefully selected from a vast amount of material, feature 80s-inspired colors and patterns, and the lineup focuses on how to recreate the feel of the era while keeping it modern. Izumi's belief is that "simply recreating them would just make them look old-fashioned."

While based in the UK, the design also takes into consideration how it matches modern styles.

When reconstructing the collection, Izumi's focus was on "how to mix it with contemporary styles."

"While it might be technically possible to reproduce the original fabric, that wouldn't represent any evolution. To create something that retains the feel of the era while still being suitable for modern suits and jackets, a soft fabric with a slightly softer interlining is ideal. This season, British-style fabrics like tweed are trending, but they're not just the same as the old ones; they're often lightweight and soft Italian fabrics. For this 20th-anniversary tie, we commissioned an Italian fabric manufacturer to reproduce the original colors and patterns on a modern silk fabric."

Indeed, both the stripes and paisley patterns are in subdued tones, and the small patterns lack the flamboyant flair of Italian design. Instead, the silk jacquard, which has a dignified British feel yet can be tied loosely, would look great with modern unstructured jackets or suits.

"While Drake's currently features many printed patterns, all the fabrics used this time are jacquard. We've carefully selected two of our most popular fabrics: rep and basket weave. The 8cm wide wide end and the semi-flared narrow end are also distinctive features. We've even reproduced the tags from the original, so the result is a British tie that's both nostalgic and new."

These ties feature classic colors and patterns, yet possess a fresh, modern feel. Beyond their rare UK-made quality, they offer exceptional versatility that belies their UK origins. They are versatile enough to complement everything from structured British suits to Italian jackets. When you feel like wearing a tie again after a long time, this collection offers the freedom and freshness to refresh your wardrobe.

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View the list of recommended ties for Autumn/Winter 2023 at the Mitsukoshi Isetan Online Store.

Kei Izumi

Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 5th Floor, Men's Tailored Clothing, Made-to-Measure/Buyer

Having previously worked as an assistant buyer for casual wear and accessories, she now holds her current position. Having spent a long time in the formal wear industry, she has strong opinions on how to wear suits. Recently, she's been shifting her wardrobe from navy to gray suits.

Related features
[20th Anniversary Special Feature] Tracing the 20-year history Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building
[Autumn/Winter 2023] A thorough explanation of V-zone trends! How to choose the latest ties and shirts.

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