UNIQLO｜LifeWear Story 100 directed by Yataro Matsuura

Late afternoon. Mom, in the kitchen, cooking. My sister, drawing on a notebook at the dinner table. Dad comes home from work. The delicious smell creeps from the kitchen. Soon the quietness around the table becomes vibrant. When dad sits down, dinner begins. I’m overjoyed when all four of us can sit down together. This moment with my family, enjoying dinner. As a little boy, this was a favorite moment in my day…

These were the thoughts going through my head when Asha asked me out of the blue, “Did you ever think about having a family with me?”

Do I want to have a family with someone I love? Up until that moment, I only thought about how the two of us can spend time together, so I was at a loss for words.

I can understand that if you like someone, there may be marriage and eventually a family down the line. But having a family with the one I love was such a leap, which took me by surprise, to say the least.

“I’m always thinking about how I can be a family with the person I love. Because I think the reason we love each other is for creating a future together which is a family. But sometimes, even if I like that person very much, I don’t want a family with him. This just can’t be helped because I simply can’t imagine having a family with that person,” she continued.

“I always think about the reason why I want to have a family with my partner. It’s not logic, it can’t be described with words, it’s just this sense or feeling… I love my family and have always dreamed of having a family of my own. I want a proper family with my partner. That, to me, is what happiness is all about.” With that, Asha stood up and hugged me from behind as I sat in my chair.

“Don’t worry if you can’t answer, but I just wanted you to know what my dream was. You can let me know your answer when you want to,” she said and went over to the kitchen to make coffee. I gazed at her from behind and thought about my mother…

“So, I have a present for you.”

She put the coffee mug on the table and smiled.

Because it has a good heat retention, corduroys are your trusty confidant for the coming chilly season.

And we went for an updated basic for this season, bringing defined undulation on the surface for a casual look. The collar design has changed from button-down to regular so that it looks good as an outer layer. The standard design of a placket front has a clean silhouette with just the right drape. This regular fit makes it a piece perfect for all kinds of styles.

Asha took out a folded shirt from a paper bag.

“Today is our three-month anniversary from our first date. I know it’s strange to celebrate, but I just wanted to show my thanks for all your support. I saw this shirt and thought, if I was a guy, I definitely would want to wear this. So, I thought you might like it…”

It was a classy corduroy shirt in black, with texture perfect for the coming season.

“I’ll go iron this, hold on,” she said and started to set up the iron.

“My mom would buy a shirt from my dad and always iron before she gave it to him to wear. I always thought, ‘why would she do this,’ but that was the way it was in our household. She said new shirts would always have that folded crease, so she wanted to take care of it before he wore it. I can really understand where she was coming from.”

She thoroughly sprayed mist over the shirt, spread it across the ironing board and started the ironing.

“It’s a corduroy, so I should iron from the inside”

She put a cloth in between to not lose the texture of the corduroy. She softly ironed from the inside and took out the creases.

“A quality shirt is so easy to iron. You just gently slide the iron over, and it becomes so nice and crisp. You can tell I love ironing, right?” she said, and happily ironed throughout. Finally, she combed the surface of the shirt with the brush to tone the soft surface of the corduroy.

“See, it’s nicer now, right? Thank you, Mom! It makes me so happy to see someone I love wear the shirt I ironed. Here is your present!” she said and handed me the freshly ironed shirt.

I put on the shirt, still warm with the heat of the iron. Its softness was so much more than had I ironed it myself. I buttoned up and stood in front of Asha. She gave me a standing ovation.

“I told you, it looks good on you. I was totally right!”

“Thank you, Asha…”

“The pleasure is mine… thank you, always.”

“I want to go out for a walk in this! Let’s go!”
Asha happily agreed, jumping like a little puppy.

The shell-finish buttons and the support twill fabric around the armholes make this a truly authentic design. The feel has been improved with an additional fabric around the cuffs and the inner surface of the yoke, making this a heavy-duty shirt.

You can enjoy the color on its own in fall or under a thick knitted top and a tweed jacket with a pair of jeans and a country shoes for that British look.

I want to go walk about the town,
casually putting it on
like a jacket.

MENCORDUROY
LONG-SLEEVE
SHIRT$29.90

Choose this clothes

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.”