This spring, I replaced my FRANK LEDER bed linen shirt for the first time in 10 years.
There's so much about clothes that you just can't understand until you buy them, wear them, and experience them.
In addition, how you feel about something changes based on your personal experiences at the time.
Even if you get the exact same item in your 20s, 30s, 40s, and beyond,
the state of mind you're in when you buy it and how you approach that item will be different.
I first bought the brand FRANK LEDER in my 20s.
The concept, worldview, and manufacturing approach, which were unlike any other brand, were incredibly stimulating.
It was to the point where I wanted anything from FRANK LEDER, just because it was FRANK LEDER.
This led to my interest expanding to include Euro vintage, making clothes even more fascinating.
Then, in my 30s...
I bought it with a growing interest in how it would look and feel on me now, and also with a simmering desire for FRANK LEDER.
My impression after buying it again was a very simple "It's amazing! I'm so happy!!"
I thought, "Well, I haven't changed from my 20s," but it's the truth, so it can't be helped.
So, I thought about it a little.
Even though the result of "It's amazing! I'm so happy!!" is the same,
the process that led to that feeling might be different.
The first time I bought FRANK LEDER, it was a brand I admired (and that hasn't changed),
and I didn't think about how to style it or my future lifestyle; I just desperately wanted it.
That forward-looking passion gave rise to "It's amazing! I'm so happy!!"
And now.
It's the feeling of realizing that it's something I truly need, having learned from my experiences in my 20s.
It's being able to choose a size that (probably) won't need to be re-bought, unlike back then.
It's the desire to share the appeal of this shirt, and this brand, with many people.
All these feelings combined create this "It's amazing! I'm so happy!!"
Even if it wasn't FRANK LEDER, a similar phenomenon would probably occur with standard items,
but I think I feel it even more strongly because it is FRANK LEDER.
(*I transcribed FRANK LEDER's concept here.)
I don't know any other brand that has such originality, from its brand concept to its seasonal concepts,
and creates such a complete worldview through every aspect, from its lookbook to its tags and materials.
It's often said that "FRANK LEDER clothes are only complete when a person wears them,"
and indeed, the unique texture that develops with long-term wear is truly one-of-a-kind, and it's meant to be worn.
Even understanding that these are real-world products,
there's also an artistic, material satisfaction that comes from simply having them in your closet,
hanging on a hanger, or just gazing at the tag after purchase.
It's something that combines the role of everyday wear with the feeling of cherishing an imported item from another world...
Precisely because it's such a brand, it's "amazing! I'm so happy!!"
Kunieda
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