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Finding New Basics at GINZA SIX

萬代 悦子

GINZA SIX EDITORS Vol.61

My standard style these days is casual. Perhaps because I work freelance, I’ve given myself the freedom to put comfort above everything else. Still, given my age and position, I feel obligated to wear, at minimum, nice accessories. So, in a bid to upgrade my presentation, I head to GINZA SIX to hunt for quality, authentic items that go well with my regular men’s casual style.

I wear vintage denim jeans typically for more than a half year. Add a nice pair of shoes, I think, and the whole looks quite presentable. When I want to find a pair of shoes that anyone can tell are quality even from a distance, I go to Sergio Rossi on the second floor.

The popular sr1 are gorgeous slippers that come in a magnificent variety of colors and materials. They come in handy because you can easily create an effective balance with pants or a long skirt. The basic colors are great, but there are also versions with a fur finish, for thick tights or socks, or metallic silver, to spice up your outfit. I love this pair! And that pair! I would like to get so many, but I’m on a budget. I’m not sure what to choose.

The one I like best is the sr1 with black fur accents (137,000 yen; all prices listed before tax). Another thing that makes slippers so convenient is that they can be worn in all four seasons: with tights or socks in the fall and winter and just on their own in the summer. Even during the summer, the presence of fur on your feet evokes a sense of unexpectedness that adds flair and substance to a simple look. The black fur feels rich. I’d wear these regardless of season.

Another reason I’m vising Sergio Rossi today is to try on the sr YURI, which came out this year. The sr YURI pumps are available only in Japan. They’re built on a last shaped to fit the feet of Japanese women. The pointed toes are longer than those of standard pumps to elongate the look of the legs below the knees. The sole is all rubber. That means you don’t need to add protective rubber. You can wear them worry-free from day one. They’re the perfect pumps for working women.

I happen to have a wide foot with high arches. With imported shoes, which tend toward a narrow shape, I almost always choose a size 39 and make adjustments as I go. But with the sr YURI (69,000 yen), size 38.5 fits perfectly. Plus, the pair features the brand’s typical great cut, which makes my feet look especially sexy. The black suede version would go perfectly with a skirt or dress pants. Despite the 7.5 cm heels, these pumps feel stable. Combining a pair with ordinary denim jeans with holes would create a stylish look; it’s hard to argue a pair of Sergio Rossi shoes doesn’t confer an unmistakable grandeur.

I prefer androgynous styles. That makes Rag & Bone on the third floor an essential. With standard but edgy designs, this boutique is filled with timeless items you’ll cherish for years. With many of the tops, you can wear men’s size S for an oversized look. At the GINZA SIX location, which features both women’s and men’s in the same store, you can try on both. It’s very convenient.

I’ve come to look at the fall knits, but something unexpected happens! I discover the Atlas shoulder bag (74,000 yen). The burgundy-red color has a hard-to-describe calming feel. I have lots of brown and khaki clothing, so, oddly enough, this is perfect. It’s a high hard one right down the middle of the plate. Above all, the square, envelope-like form is neither too sweet nor too spicy. It’s a great match for a unisex wardrobe. The aesthetics of the brand’s bags follow from its clothing, which may be why the brand finds it so easy to create a bag that hits the bull’s eye.

Another amazing thing about this bag is that it opens flat, like this! And folded flat, it fits inside a small suitcase. Simply snap the snaps to recreate your shoulder bag. Perhaps the dream of going on an overseas business trip and not spending the entire day with the tote bag I hauled onboard isn’t just a dream. I could simply bring this cool, compact shoulder bag and set out for dinner, dashingly equipped.

The strap length is adjustable. You can shorten it and hang it off your shoulder or make it longer and wear it diagonally across the body. You can change it up based on what you’re wearing. The size, too, is perfect. It fits right under the arm. Now that I’ve found the bag ideal for everyday use, I’m excited just thinking about what I’ll wear with it.

Finally, I go to Seiko Boutique on the fifth floor to check out the Grand Seiko, the famous watch I’ve hoped to buy one day. In Ginza, when you hear “Grand Seiko,” the Seiko Premium Boutique or the prestigious Wako department store might come to mind. But I feel shy about dropping into such places. I find the GINZA SIX boutique especially appealing for its open, welcoming atmosphere, even for those who come just to look. On the front signboard, the young but awe-inspiring Major League baseball player Shohei Otani’s gentle figure almost embraces me wholeheartedly.

The sizes of so-called ladies’ watches are often too feminine and don’t work with my personal style, so I’ve been thinking about wearing men’s watches. The imported brands, though, have large cases and feel like they’re borrowed from somewhere else. My expectations, then, for the pleasantly sized Grand Seiko, an authentic Japanese brand, are high indeed.

The first types I looked at were the stainless steel case (left: SBGW231; 450,000 yen), stainless steel automatic (middle: SBGH213; 650,000 yen), and 18-karat gold case (right: SBGW252; 1,800,000 yen). The automatic’s case is a little big, and it’s thick. It feels a bit heavy on my wrist. I rule it out. The stainless steel with the black strap feels just right. It leaves me feeling I’d be able to wear it in summer with a T-shirt—various tableaux come to mind…

But the watch that really makes my pulse race is the one with the 18-karat gold case. I like the classic feel—the case is based on a design from the brand’s archives—and the dial has a hint of ivory. As a watch to last a lifetime, its vivid, almost inevitable presence on my wrist makes my heart beat faster. The sales attendant recommends it: “I think this one looks best on you!” I know, I know, I thought; but, oh, the price, the price! I’m not brave enough to buy an almost 2,000,000-yen watch on the spot, but just trying it on did prove a good opportunity to experience the pride of Japanese manufacturing. I’m going to start saving for a Grand Seiko today!

Text:Etsuko Mashiro Photo:Masahiro Heguri Edit:Yuka Okada

editors_mashiro

萬代 悦子

フリーランスエディター・ライター。「eclat」「HERS」でのライターを経て、ファッションをメインにジャンルを問わず「Forbes JAPAN」他、雑誌、Web、カタログ、書籍に於いて等で編集・執筆中。

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2018.10.19 UP