Since the brand’s launch in 2017, all POSTELEGANT items have been tagged with a serial number. That number has now grown to around 200. Some of the items are offered virtually every year, while others are revived once in a while. In essence, all of them are classics. This approach stems from a desire to make clothes that can be worn for a long time over a period of 10 or 20 years.

POSTELEGANT does not follow fashion trends and neither does it establish themes for each season. Furthermore, most of its items do not differentiate between men’s and women’s and are offered as unisex. Where does this inspiration come from? “The materials. Different creators follow different methods, such as pursuing certain shapes or choosing certain themes, but in my case, it’s the materials. I look at the materials and ask myself, what are the colors, shapes and details that best fit them? Then I let my imagination take over from there.”

“Since I want to make clothes that can be worn for a long time, I’m naturally attracted to sturdy materials. I especially like materials that are thick and tough. This season, we have around 20 types of fabrics, and over half of them are originals made in collaboration with our weaver.”

“I travel to Florence and Paris twice a year for work, so I often use some of the spare days during the trip to visit other places too. Most recently, I stopped by Marrakesh. While I don’t put the colors and shapes that I see directly into my designs, I draw inspiration from the lifestyles and atmospheres of the places I visit. Like the easy-going attitude of a man walking down the street (laughs).”

“In Marrakesh, I was drawn to the unique lifestyle there that isn’t all ‘neatly trimmed.’ On the one hand, there are still many elements of everyday life that follow an old-fashioned style that has remained unchanged for decades. On the other hand, the local people use smartphones as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. Tokyo is very convenient, but there are also a lot of fine restrictions that prevent us from doing many things. In contrast, I felt that Marrakesh has a lot of freedom. For example, the Majorelle Garden (note: photo of the blue building) that was loved by Yves Saint Laurent. In Marrakesh, people are free to make things of such scale and in such a way, and I felt as if restraints were removed.”

Nakata refers to himself not as a designer but as a creative director. The reason behind this is because he wants to highlight the fact that many people are involved in the process of completing a single piece of clothing. “As I work with many professionals to create clothes, my job is to give directions and develop the kinds of products that are sought by our customers. I use the term creative director to indicate that all of us are working together.”

“My role is to lead the process of turning excellent materials into clothes that people want to treasure and wear for a long time. I don’t worry about keeping up with the times or trends. Also, if the material is good, there is no need to add anything extra to it. I strive to make the most of a material’s thickness and texture, which naturally results in simple designs. When creating anything simple, the skills of the people involved become extremely important. By undertaking the entire process in Japan, from creating the materials to sewing the products, we are able to share detailed nuances with all the craftsmen and work together to give them shape.”

* Photo features the weaving shop where fabrics are created together.

“The Double Face Hand-sewn Coat is the brand’s first product with the serial number 1, and it’s one of my most favorite items. The material is 100% wool. It’s made from a single piece of fabric and has no inner lining, so it feels like you’re wearing the material itself. The color sometimes changes, but the material and design have remained unchanged since 2017. You don’t get tired of it; I wear it all the time myself.”

“Going back to what we were discussing before, this material is thick and sturdy. I really like it. As I mentioned, a simple design that aims to make the most of the material requires skilled craftsmen. This coat, as well as other products in the double face series and outerwear, are all hand-sewn, so differences in skills really stand out. This coat depends entirely on good materials and outstanding skills.”

“The Wool Hemp Rever Short Coat uses an original material that is a mixture of wool and hemp. It offers the warmth of wool as well as the dry crispness, suppleness and lightness of hemp. Not only does it have a characteristic texture but also a blend of dark and light colors due to the differences in the materials. What makes it so appealing is its unique texture and expression that differ from products that are made entirely of wool. The coat, which also has a vest variation, is offered in two colors: orange and navy.”