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.

Buyer Miyashita, who has appeared in IMn many times as a shoe buyer, will introduce his meticulously crafted leather collection, which he created by drawing on his extensive knowledge of leather materials, from the men's accessories corner on the first floor, a new section he is taking charge of this year.

【RE:MATERIAL & COLOR】A status symbol: leather goods that are unique, found nowhere else, and truly your own.

Wallets have changed shape in recent years along with the shift towards a cashless society. The custom of replacing them on auspicious days such as "Tensha-nichi" and "Tora-no-hi" has also become well-known. Business card cases are not only business tools, but also gear that represents the owner's status. Taking good care of leather goods has always been a subtle yet eloquent way of expressing a man's class. Miyashita, who took on the role of leather goods buyer this spring, is a well-known figure who has made many media appearances as a men's shoe buyer. As his first project, he has put to full use his deep knowledge of leather materials, cultivated over many years, to work on planning items to commemorate the 20th anniversary.

"Having worked as a buyer for men's shoes for a long time since joining the company, I'm confident that I know more about leather than anyone else at Isetan Shinjuku. Until last year, I dedicated myself fully to the shoe fair, and I've gone all out for this year's leather fair as well. My motto is to create products that satisfy even the most discerning enthusiasts."

With his knowledge, insight, and strong willpower to pursue his goals, Miyashita has transformed the men's shoe section on the first basement floor into what he proudly calls the "world's best" floor. Now, he has negotiated with prestigious domestic and international brands to release exclusive items only available at Isetan Shinjuku.

"Unlike leather shoes, which take over a year to produce, the world of leather goods, which can be completed in six months, was a bit daunting at first, but I tackled it with all my might. The leather brands we carry at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building , all undoubtedly use excellent techniques and high-quality leather materials, but we've also gathered limited-edition colors and materials that can only be purchased here. We've created a collection that will satisfy true leather enthusiasts. Some of the items might even be considered a bit too niche (laughs)."

ETTINGER releases Isetan-exclusive colors for its Sterling collection.

"The bi-fold wallet with a snap button is a popular model these days. The snap button is not only a design accent, but it was also created in response to feedback that bi-fold wallets tend to open in bags, causing cards to spill out. This bi-fold wallet is compact and comes in the Sterling Collection, which features a black exterior and interior colors that match the watermark on pound banknotes: red, blue, yellow, and purple. This time, however, we've prepared two interior colors that are very popular among the leather goods at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building navy and green. For the exterior material, the navy version uses the same calfskin as the Sterling Collection, while the green version uses bridle leather, a representative British material."

THE WARMTHCRAFTS-MANUFACTURE Compact and thin cordovan tri-fold wallet

"This popular compact tri-fold wallet is from The Warmcrafts Manufacture, a cordovan brand that Japan is proud of. In Japan, there are still many people who want to carry coins, so there is a demand for it. While other companies' tri-fold wallets with coin compartments tend to be thick and have a bulky shape, this brand excels in thin-walled construction, allowing them to keep the volume down to this extent. This brand rarely collaborates with other companies, but they are releasing a model with a dark navy exterior, which is the only color released exclusively at Isetan, and a burgundy horsehide interior. This is a model that cordovan lovers absolutely cannot miss."

GLENROYAL/Glenroyal: A two-tone model made of durable bridle leather.

GLENROYAL / Glenroyal Left: Zip wallet ¥42,900 Right: Money clip ¥36,300

*Scheduled for release on Wednesday, October 4th.

□ Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 1st Floor, Leather Goods

"Glenroyal usually offers collections in single colors, but this time we're releasing two color combinations: brown x light brown and black x green. There are three models. One is our most popular model, featuring a coin case on the outside, a card case on the flap, and a money clip inside when opened. Another is a bi-fold round-zip type. In addition, the brand's popular tote bag will also be available. Leather enthusiasts will understand just how rare it is to see two-tone designs."

GANZO domestically produced card case uses Italian cordovan leather.

GANZO
Card cases: ¥55,000 each

*Scheduled for release on Wednesday, October 4th.

□ Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 1st Floor, Leather Goods

" GANZO 's card cases are overwhelmingly popular among businessmen. They're bi-fold, and they have card slots on the back, so you can take out business cards in one action without opening the case, which seems to be their appeal. This is a Japanese leather goods manufacturer with very high technical skills, and they stitch right up to the edge. As a result, they've succeeded in making the business card case compact. For the 20th anniversary model, we chose cordovan. Moreover, this cordovan is from the Italian company Rocado, which is currently making headlines as the third cordovan manufacturer. This cordovan, tanned using the traditional Italian vacchetta method, brings out the best qualities of horsehide while keeping the price down. It comes in two-tone colors, black & navy and brown & green, but the fact that the edges are painted in the same color is a detail that even enthusiasts will appreciate. The inline model has red edges. I'd be happy if someone noticed (laughs)."

CYPRIS Italian Shrink Leather and Shirasagi Leather Collaboration

CYPRIS
Left: Long wallet ¥39,600 Middle: Bi-fold wallet ¥22,000 Right: Card case ¥20,900

*Scheduled for release on Wednesday, October 4th.

□ Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 1st Floor, Leather Goods

"This is a leading, serious leather goods brand representing Japan. What's noteworthy is that it uses a combination of Italian and Japanese leather. The exterior uses shrink leather from Bonaldo, an Italian company known for its supple feel, while the interior uses Shirasagi leather, produced by a domestic tannery. This Shirasagi leather is a combination tanned leather using chrome and tannins. The fibers are tightly packed, making it resistant to wrinkles, and the transparency of the aniline finish and the unique uneven color give it a luxurious feel. We offer a variety of options, including bi-fold wallets, long wallets, and business card holders, and in two color combinations: black x navy and brown x navy."

Sota Miyashita

Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 1st Floor, Men's Accessories Buyer

This summer, his alma mater achieved a remarkable victory. The renowned buyer at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building , who has experience playing in the Koshien baseball tournament, will be in charge of men's accessories on the first floor starting this spring. With extensive experience as a men's shoe buyer, he is well-versed in leather materials.

Related features
ISETAN Leather Fair 2023
[20th Anniversary Special Feature] Tracing the 20-year history Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building
[Special Feature] A thorough explanation of the appeal of ETTINGER leather goods, perfect for gentlemen!

Text: Yasuyuki Ikeda
Photographer：Natsuko Okada (Studio Mug)