Issue #13

Words by Cory Ohlendorf | Photography courtesy

It’s Japan’s oldest men’s fashion magazine—first debuting in 1954 under the name Otoko no Fukushoku and later rebranded with the English name Men’s Club. The publication came about when Tokyo and Japan as a whole were undergoing rapid change and young men were looking to break out from the more standard and subdued post-war style. These were men who wore their hair slicked back and listened to rock and roll and wanted to look cool.

As described in Lapham’s Quarterly by W. David Marx, “the basic male wardrobe [at the time] went to extremes of conformity: a single charcoal-gray or navy-blue suit, dark tie, white shirt, and dark shoes. White shirts outsold colored ones more than twenty to one. A striped shirt was enough to get a worker in trouble. And ready-to-wear clothing was not an option. Men dismissed non-tailored garments as tsurushi or tsurushinbo, meaning ‘something hung up,’ with the sting of a racial slur.”

As Marx puts it, “These elite, athletic students demonstrated how dapper a young man could look in ready-to-wear clothing. The clothes looked neat and fit closely to the body. Ishizu especially liked that the style relied on natural materials such as cotton and wool, which could be worn for a long time and easily cleaned. Japanese students in the late 1950s had little pocket money, but Ivy clothing would be a good investment—durable, functional, and based on static, traditional styles.”

It introduced “the Ivy look” to Japan’s masses and jumpstarted a preppy boom, where Americana and classic menswear looks were suddenly the height of style and groups of young men would gather and discuss the proper or authentic way to dress in that manner. Men’s Club was their bible.

In fact, Ishizu green-lit an exorbitantly expensive trip in 1965 to the East Coast to get some research on the actual schools of the American Ivy League—and Take Ivy, perhaps one of the most influential books in the history of men’s fashion, was born. Original copies of the book have grown exponentially in value—scanned photos in the early Tumblr era established such a rabid fan base that the book was eventually translated and re-published in 2010.

By the late 1960s, Japan was experiencing a period of significant change, both socially and economically. The nation was enjoying rapid growth, with a burgeoning middle class that had increased disposable income and a desire for consumer goods. Men's Club came forward to provide a manual for men to explore modern masculinity, lifestyle choices and embrace their personal expression. It distinguished itself with its rich visual content, featuring high-quality photography and striking graphic design. The editorial team curated articles not just about fashion; but encompassing various topics that would appeal to this new Japanese man with refined tastes and hobbyist interests—features now included fitness, relationships, cocktails and career advice.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the magazine evolved in response to cultural shifts. The influence of Western fashion and lifestyle trends became more pronounced, leading to increased coverage of international brands and styles, but Men’s Club never lost its grip on refined, gentlemanly style. Of course, even in Japan, where printed magazines are still far more popular and regularly read, cuts have been made as a result of the changing media landscape. In 2023, the number of issues was reduced from 10 times a year to four seasonal issues. Then, earlier this month, as Men’s Club celebrated its 70th anniversary, it’s parent company Hearst announced that is has ended its “periodical publication” and will now only be published occasionally as special issues. Thankfully, it leaves behind a rich archive with plenty of style balancing the trends of the era with timeless styles.

It's so understated and refined, you would be forgiven if you failed to realize just how tough and hardwearing this tote bag really is. Constructed in Japan from tightly woven CORDURA fabric (that's resistant to tears and moisture), it's sewn to be extra durable. Double-stitched webbing trim wraps around the bottom of the bag for added stability while also serving as comfortable carrying handles. There's a large zippered pocket on the exterior and a secondary organizer pocket on the inside. It's large enough to carry all your daily essentials, even your gym clothes or farmers market haul. It would make an excellent travel bag since it can take a whole lot of abuse and the best part is that the CORDURA fabric will rarely show any wear, so it stays looking new and fresh for longer.

Ame futte ji katamaru (雨降って地固まる) is a Japanese phrase that literally means “the ground becomes firm after rain.” If any nation were to claim this as their unofficial motto, it would have to be Japan. As a country that has such violent natural disasters as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions to thank for its creation, the saying seems rather fitting. What this means in practice is that overcoming adversity builds character and resilience. It’s believed that after a storm, things tend to stand on more solid ground than they did before. After all, life has many struggles. The important thing is to learn from your experiences and keep moving forward knowing that you're now stronger than before.