The Engineered Garments Fall Winter 2023 collection will be released at Nepenthes New York on July 14th, in-store and online.
Over the past few seasons, designer Daiki Suzuki of Engineered Garments has drawn inspiration from film, art, and the wildlife conservation movement. He has consistently created unconventional collections by combining the brand’s core elements of military, outdoor, American traditional, and workwear style with vibrant patterns, folk silhouettes, and period clothing.
For the Fall Winter 2023 collection, Daiki returns to his roots by focusing on the genre that initially sparked his interest in fashion - outdoor gear. Daiki grew up surrounded by nature in Hirosaki, located in Japan's northern Aomori prefecture. He spent his time playing in the snow, fishing in the rivers, collecting forest beetles, and developing a deep passion for rugged gear. His involvement in his school's mountaineering club fueled his fascination, as he avidly studied North Face parkas and Jansport backpacks through mail-order catalogs and used issues of GQ and Men's Club magazines.
Despite his interest in American style, Daiki discovered that his perception differed from reality when he moved to the United States in 1989. Working as a buyer for Nepenthes, he expected to encounter stylish Americans sporting two-tone Sierra Designs puffers, plaid Pendleton shirts, and Chippewa boots. However, he was surprised that most Americans were either unfamiliar with or uninterested in these brands. This stark realization motivated Daiki to establish Engineered Garments, a platform through which he could channel his distinctive appreciation for American products.
While rooted in the products that shaped his teenage and young adult years, the inspiration for the Fall Winter 2023 collection extends beyond the 1970s, partly influenced by a collection of magazines Daiki purchased at a Long Beach flea market. The seller referred to the more than 60 copies of Outdoor Life and Sports Afield, ranging from the 1910s to the 1960s, as his "entire life."
Incorporating almost 100 years of American style, the Engineered Garments Fall Winter 2023 collection features a range of relaxed blazers, work shirts, hiking pants, heavy parkas, and hunting vests - all reimagined versions of the products that captivated Daiki. Every stitch, button, and seam undergoes meticulous consideration, reflecting a detail that may have appeared on a Filson Mackinaw, Willis and Gieger field jacket, or in the pages of the October 1952 issue of Field & Stream.
Daiki embraces heavy mid-century textiles such as 60/40 polyester cotton poplin, pilot twill, bull denim, and melange wool in response to the prevalence of technical fabrics in modern clothing. These traditional materials provide a classic drape and facilitate endless layering, combining form and function to emphasize style while preserving practicality.
The Fall Winter 2023 collection from Engineered Garments represents one of Daiki's most personal endeavors, capturing the essence of the brand's spirit and boldly presenting a modern interpretation of "Heavy Duty Ivy Style." It serves as a distillation of over 40 years of knowledge, reflecting Daiki's lifelong journey.
