Techy Jackets Gone Grandma — Literally
Of all the many technical nylon jackets from C.P. Company, its full-zip overshirt is among its most casual, simple designs. That is, until the Sashiko Gals get their hands on it.
A group of Japanese grannies keeping the traditional craft of sashiko alive, the Sashiko Gals is known for hand-stitching thick thread across contemporary sneakers. From Vans skate shoes to Salomon trail runners, they’ve all been customised by the handiwork of the Sashiko Gals.
Now, the group is going beyond technical sneakers, it’s taking on technical nylon outerwear.
Crafted from Chrome-R (a recycled, shiny, multifilament nylon developed by C.P. Company), these overshirts typically come with a zip-up opening along the front, a chest pocket, and C.P.’s classic goggle branding on the sleeve. But these aren’t your typical overshirts.
Three extra pockets made from three C.P. Company fabrics (Flatt Nylon, Co-Ted, and Taylon P) are sashiko-stitched onto the lightweight jackets. Plus, there is some extra decorative stitching dotted around the design for good measure.
Each jacket is a one-of-one, meticilously stitched by the Sashiko Gals, and thus, these are very limited. The group comprises 15 women between the ages of 40 and 80, all of whom handstitch everything the collective makes.
“Their master is the best sashiko artisan in Japan, located in Hida Takayama," Arata Fujiwara, founder of craft-first Japanese label Kuon, previously said about the group. "After 13 years of continuous work, they have grown to become one of the best sashiko groups in Japan."
Only 15 of the collaborative C.P. Company overshirts are being released, available exclusively from a pop-up shop at Isetan Shinjuku, a department store in Tokyo. The shop will be open from April 12.
And if you're not able to grab one of the jackets, you can join the long waiting list of people trying to get a custom order from the Sashiko Gals.
