Issue #25

Words by Cory Ohlendorf | Photography courtesy

Have you heard about A.Presse? Maybe you saw an Instagram post from one of your favorite menswear insiders? Or caught the mentions of the brands in an article talking about Japanese style or the new labels you need on your radar. But the brand’s buzz is definitely floating in the ether. I’ve been in the menswear media business for well over a decade and right now, few brands are generating as much excitement and enthusiasm as this understated and inherently cool brand founded in 2021 by designer and avid vintage collector Kazuma Shigematsu.

I was considering writing about the brand for this very newsletter, but I wanted to stop by their Tokyo flagship store first. So when my former colleague and current men’s fashion director of Nordstrom, Jian DeLeon, came to Tokyo and asked to meet there, I jumped at the chance. When I got there Jian was already trying on pieces, so I walked around with some of the brand reps to learn as much as I could while getting an up close look and feel at the garments themselves.

The shop itself is very indicative of the brand’s ethos. It’s tasteful and understated, and yet if you weren’t paying attention, you could miss it entirely. The basement-level store is accessed via a long staircase and I didn’t clock even a sign by the door. But once inside, you’re greeted by beautifully-crafted brass clothing racks with even more beautifully-crafted garments hanging on them—spaced just enough so that you can appreciate each piece on its own. Get closer, and you notice the handsome solid oak hangers that the brand had custom-made for the store. They’re luxuriously heavy, make the clothes look even better and complement the Danish mid-century furniture, along with the stylish vintage JBL Sovereign sound system.

But back to the clothes. They are stylishly simple and confidently cool. Luxurious, yes, but neither flashy nor too minimal. The details have been dialed to a surgical degree, yielding masterfully-executed riffs on the kind of staple pieces that guys always want to wear. Which is a good thing, considering these are definitely at the “investment piece” price point. Of course, clothes are only as good as they make you feel and that’s what really sets A.Presse apart. And I think it really comes down to the fabrics.

In the store that day, I learned that over 70% of the fabrics A.Presse utilizes are developed in-house and are exclusive to the brand. The only thing they don’t make themselves is the leather, which they source from Spain and is maybe the softest hide I’ve ever laid my hands on.

They’re just really cool, grown-up clothes, Jian said after we left the store. We started talking about how guys like us—as we reach a certain age—want nice clothes, that look and feel good, but aren’t the brands that our fathers would’ve graduated to as they started maturing in style. A.Presse’s garments feel familiar—they’re chinos, half-zip sweatshirts, coach’s jackets—but executed in a way to make them look and feel something much more considered. “Our style is very focused,” Shigematsu told Highsnobiety recently. “But our way of making the product is not easy.” 

That’s what makes A.Presse such a Japanese label. The clothes themselves have a continental look and feel—are they French, could be Italian or maybe American—but all the love and effort that goes into them, that’s what makes them distinctly Japanese. “I don’t like fashion,” Shigematsu has said, by way of explanation of his work. “I’m looking for a new word.” It’s a craft, for sure. And a lifelong passion that will keep perfecting and getting better. Each season, there will be new fabrics, a refined fit or a new addition. After all, the brand is still just getting started.

There are still not a lot of stores carrying A.Presse, yet. But you can find it at Union LA, Haven and MR PORTER.

Nanga is a Japanese outdoor company that specializes in crafting high-quality gear for extreme conditions. They’ve been around since 1947, but for decades were limited to Japan, but now products are becoming more accessible internationally. And now, select pieces are carried at Madewell. The Aurora Tex stand collar down jacket is a lightweight, waterproof insulated layer ideal for transitional seasons. It features premium Spanish duck down and a waterproof nylon exterior. The cuffs are adjustable, the double zipper offers added versatility and the pockets are deep and roomy. It’s a jacket that provides warmth without excessive bulk or causing you to overheat in the unpredictable spring weather.

The word ganbaru (頑張る) can be used as an expression of encouragement. However, it can have several meanings, ranging from “to do more than one’s best,” “to stand firm,” and “to endure.” It encapsulates having focus and determination to step outside your comfort zone and achieve goals.