The popular spring event , the JM WESTON pop-up store, will be held this year from May 1st (Wed) to May 21st (Tue) Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building, 1st Floor, The Stage featuring special content.

Following FACE, our second guest is designer Yuhi Ozaki, who boasts a wide shoe collection ranging from vintage to bespoke. He has picked out some memorable shoes from JM WESTON , a brand he considers particularly special. We also spoke with him about the shoes that are attracting attention at this event. Following last year's feature, this is another compelling read!

►Event information starting May 1st (Wed) Click here for details

My encounter with "#641 Golf" came surprisingly late.

"Since this was a good opportunity, I counted them, and I think there are probably around 32 to 33 pairs."

When we asked Yuhi Ozaki, known as JM WESTON enthusiast, how many JM WESTON shoes he owns, he gave us the answer quoted above. Mr. Ozaki owns many bespoke (made-to-order) shoes as well, but JM WESTON makes up the largest portion of his wide collection of leather shoes.


"I think one of the reasons is the colors. There are many regular colors and types of leather available, and they're all great colors. Plus, with the personalized edition, you can choose from an even wider range of leathers and colors. I feel like these shoes make it easy to create an interesting look for your feet."


The first pair of JM WESTON shoes that Ozaki acquired was the burgundy "#180 Signature Loafer." While black and tan brown are considered standard choices, this is a selection that reveals Ozaki's individuality. For his second pair, he chose the "#690 Yacht," a currently popular model. He acquired it more than 20 years ago at a shop in Paris, when it wasn't yet available in Japan. "I had a bit of a contrarian side to it, thinking, 'You wouldn't know about such a great model,'" Ozaki recalls. On the other hand, he also has this unexpected side.

*The second item from the right in the image is the burgundy-colored "#180 Signature Loafers" that Ozaki first acquired.

"Actually, I was quite late in getting my hands on the '#641 Golf,' and I only bought the all-terrain sole Golf shoes last year or the year before. I thought they didn't really suit me, and I'm still not entirely comfortable with them. But when I actually tried them on, I realized they're really great shoes."

"It feels a little frustrating to praise something that's generally well-regarded," says Ozaki. "I've had experience with all-terrain soles in other models, but I find the ones on the #641 Golf to be even easier to walk in." Ozaki adds that he now also owns the #321 Golf High Top Derby, the boot version of the Golf shoe, and wears it with American casual-style outfits.

*Image on the left: "#321 Golf High Top Derby"

Innovative design, special materials, and diverse appeal.

So, we asked Ms. Ozaki to name a few pieces from her JM WESTON collection that left a particularly strong impression on her.

"First, this model, which at first glance looks like a fish, is made by turning the upper of the '#180 Signature Loafer' inside out. This was one of the special order models that was sold at an exhibition held in 2019 to coincide with the renovation of the Aoyama store, when Olivier Saillard became the current Artistic & Image Director of JM WESTON . I was really impressed by the idea of making the shoe inside out. In other words, the outside is the lining leather, and the inside of the shoe is made of box calf leather."

*The second image from the left is a model made by turning the upper of the "#180 Signature Loafer" inside out.

"If you look closely, you'll see that the leather surface on both sides of the toe is slightly worn down, which is apparently a process applied to the inside of the actual '#180 Signature Loafers.' I like how they've gone to such lengths to create something so meticulous, yet still pursue a fashionable, artistic approach. I appreciate that the brand always maintains that kind of attitude."

Next, Ozaki picked up a pair of side-gore boots made of navy ostrich leather.


"My theme color is indigo blue, so I chose that color for the ostrich leather and had a personalized edition made. I also opted for an all-terrain sole so I can wear them on rainy days."

As for side-gore boots, Ozaki had a bitter experience. Since she usually chose a size 6.5 D for JM WESTON shoes such as the "#180 Signature Loafers," she bought the same size for the side-gore boots, but found them uncomfortable to wear.

"After wearing them for a day, they became so painful that I felt nauseous. I realized that simply choosing the same size for different styles and lasts as for other models is a mistake."

Following the cognac, will navy cordovan be next?

Furthermore, Ozaki mentioned the "#180 Signature Loafers," which are made from cognac-colored cordovan leather.

"As I showed you in a previous interview, these were ordered at an event at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building in 2022. When I first put them on, the cordovan felt softer than the calfskin, or rather, it felt like it bent more to match the movement of my feet. And gradually, the areas where the creases formed started to turn whitish, which I thought would develop a nice patina. The cordovan '#180 Signature Loafers' have a certain American, slightly rustic charm. With the calfskin '#180 Signature Loafers,' even after repeated wear, they retain the refined elegance characteristic of French shoes."

*The loafers worn by Ms. Ozaki on the left are calfskin "#180 Signature Loafers," and the pair to her right are cognac-colored cordovan "#180 Signature Loafers" that she ordered at an event in 2022.


On the day of the interview, Mr. Ozaki was dressed in these shoes, a pair of 1950s Levi's 501 jeans, a vintage American-made shirt, and a sleeveless jacket from the French brand Lutays. He also mentioned that these cordovan "#180 Signature Loafers" go well with vintage denim.


Furthermore, at the pop-up shop to be held at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building from May 1st, the "#180 Signature Loafers" and "#641 Golf" in navy cordovan will be newly available. Ozaki, who considers navy to be his theme color, seems to be very interested in these.

*The cordovan "#180 Signature Loafers" and "#641 Golf" (black, navy, burgundy) are available for order at this event.



"If black shoes and brown shoes have different uses and ways of being worn, I personally think that navy shoes can cover both. Actually, with the '#180 Signature Loafers,' navy calfskin has been popular for a long time, so I deliberately avoided it. But this cordovan navy is a color I've never seen before, so I'm looking forward to seeing how it changes as I wear it in. I already have a lot of navy shoes, so I should have enough already."