UNIQLO｜LifeWear Story 100 directed by Yataro Matsuura

A week has passed since I moved into the apartment on West 74th as a one-month tenant.

By now, I found many favorite spots in the neighborhood: the traditional supermarket, the 24-hour bagel shop, this big, stylish bookstore… It wasn’t difficult for me to love this place.

The two things I was devoted to during my time in New York were to read books and take walks in the city.

I started keeping a journal of those discoveries in my books, like phrases that caught my eyes, things I wanted to know more about, sentences that inspired me, and so on.

I also noted things from my walks in detail – things that stopped me in my tracks, that tied back to my past, scenes I would never want to forget…

I would always have the two journals, for my books and for my walks, with me, and just kept on leaving a record of my present moment with words and phrases.

I also set myself a goal to walk every possible street across Manhattan during my stay in New York.

I would start out the day by marking the streets I’m to cover that day in a map of Manhattan in my walk journal and just kept writing down the sceneries and events as they happened.

One day, I decided to share this journal of my walks in Manhattan to Toko-san.

She sat down on the bench in Strawberry Fields and one by one, carefully read through each page, nodding, smiling, and sometimes closing her eyes, until she came to the last entry and quietly closed the journal.

“You know, there were so many New Yorks in here that I didn’t even know about. Thank you. This journal made me feel like I was looking through a photo book of the city. Words and sentences are great but why not take some photographs? I think your expressions of what you saw and felt would go really well with pictures,” she said.

“Photos…I never really took up photography but I am interested. How should I approach this?” I asked her.

”Hmm, ok, so, it’s just switching the mode of expression, your writing, into pictures. For example, you have this poetic phrase of a sad-eyed horse you met at Columbus Circle. What would you frame if you were to express that in a single photograph? You see, as you are doing these walks, you are searching for the story only you can see. Just take a snap of that story!” Toko-san continued.

Keep the warmth of the body in while it shuts out outside air. This functional material is highly breathable, quick-drying, and light-weight. UNIQLO has developed a fine, smooth textured material to improve the amazing wearing experience. The soft piping around the neck area reduces the friction against the skin.

Put your hands in the side pockets and you’ll find them wrapped in both fleece and highly-breathable mesh material. The zipper now has a tab to make zipping and unzipping easier, even with gloves on.

Taking a picture of a story…Come to think of it, I do take ordinary scenes from my walks that stop me in my tracks and spur my imagination, so much so that I would write and write to a point I have enough material for one book.

After I parted with Toko-san, I started to contemplate what I would take if I had a camera with me as I walked around.

That’s when I remembered that there was a camera in the closet of my rented apartment.

Kate, the owner, said that I can use whatever was in the place, so I dashed back to my room, opened the closet, and took out the camera.

It was wrapped in a fleece jacket which was probably intended to be a cushion for the device. As I unwrapped the jacket, I found a small German manual camera.

Plus, there were two rolls of films in the pocket of the same fleece jacket. “I wonder if it’s ok to use this camera…”

Kate would be coming here soon for her piano lessons, so I decided to ask her directly for her permission.

Late afternoon, as Kate came to the flat, I said, “I found this camera and was wondering if I can use it?” “Oh, my dad gave it to me and I lent it to Jack but he ended up not using it, I guess. So, yes, it’s fine. The fleece jacket is Jack’s, but you are also welcome to wear that, too.” She sounded as though she wasn’t interested in the camera. Jack was her boyfriend.

To tell the truth, I was happier about the fleece jacket. I hadn’t realized how cold autumn in New York can be. Plus, I had never worn any piece of clothes made of fleece material.

I put my arms through and zipped up. It was so light and warm, and it felt good on the skin, so much so that it made me want to just lie down and go to sleep.

So I put on the fleece jacket, hung the camera on my shoulders and stepped out. Surprisingly, it felt warmer outside than inside, thanks to the fleece.

I started thinking about what must my first subject be for my photography? Or rather, what should I take?

Instinctively, I thought I should take a picture of myself in New York, now.

So I pointed the camera to the mirror, with my reflection placed in a show window of a furniture shop on the street.

I pointed the camera towards the reflection of myself in the mirror, wearing this fleece and that’s when it hit me. I looked so skinny and miserable. But I also thought, “hey, I could be a main character of a story.”

“The main character in a journey is always yourself…” I recalled writing something of this nature in my journal. That’s right, I am the main character.

I rolled up the film, set the diaphragm and the speed, adjusted the focus, then took the shot.

The not-too-skinny arm with enough space to move and a clean torso line. The amazing pattern designed to be a top that works as an outerwear but beautifully fits as an inner piece.

So put it over a shirt or a knitted top or under a down vest for a layered fashion out in town. Or as sportswear for your runs. Or on an outdoor day as that extra layer under a down jacket or a blouson jacket. Or to relax without any heat at home. This is LifeWear at its best.

Put on a fleece
and you can’t help but get out and about,
walk around as far and wide as you can.
You can’t help but want to go on a journey.

MENFLEECE
LONG-SLEEVEFULL-ZIP
JACKET$19.90

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2nd July, 2019

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What is “LifeWear story 100?”

At UNIQLO,
there exist these lines of clothes
which has remained for many years,
trend-neutral
yet never dated.
Out of the line-ups,
they are the unsung presence,
sitting quietly behind in TV ads.

Yet, they are the culmination
of the years of passion and devotion,
where UNIQLO sought to pursue
more comfort,
more durability, and
more quality.

They give shape and gravitas
to what and who UNIQLO is,
and what UNIQLO continues
to nurture with great care.

To go beyond yesterday,
to reach higher tomorrow.

When you take it in your hands,
when you try it on,
it softly speaks to you,
almost like a friend.

What is a rich quality
lifestyle?
How is such a quality day spent?
What does happiness mean to you…

And you will find yourself
surprised to discover that such
piece of clothing has existed.

What is the UNIQLO principle?
Why do we call clothing LifeWear?
What kind of clothes constitute
LifeWear?

Here, we go deep into
the root of LifeWear,
to know
and to tell.
And I hope to write
stories that revolve
around LifeWear and myself.

LifeWear story 100 will be
a story about a journey with me and LifeWear.

Yataro Matsuura

Essayist, editor. Born 1965 in Tokyo.
For nine years from 2005, under the leadership of the founder, Shizuko Ohashi, he was the chief editor for the magazine, “Kurashi no Techo.” Since, he launched an online media site, “Kurashi no Kihon.” Currently, sits as a director for Oishii Kenko Ltd. Recognized for his eye for style and experience in presenting ideas for quality lifestyle. Regularly writes in his columns in newspapers and magazines. Has penned numerous best-sellers including “Kyo mo Teinei ni” and “Shigoto no Kihon Kurashi no Kihon 100.” Hosts a radio program on NHK Radio 1, “Karen Style.”