Letter From Japan
Post-graffiti motorcycle clothing
LETTER FROM Japan
In the last several years, clothing manufacturers in Japan have become more and more involved the sport of motorcycling. This involvement has taken several forms, the most obvious being an increase in clothing-oriented race sponsors.
Even the prestigious Suzuka 8-Hour race had a major sponsor from the garment industry. This is all part of an effort to sell motorcyclists what until now has been considered nonmotorcycle clothing.
One clothing manufacturer in particular has taken a rather bold marketing approach to attract
motorcycle riders. “Person’s Racing Team” clothing is available not only in boutiques and apparel shops, but also in motorcycle shops. The head If Japanese motorcycling objectives were put into several categories, there would be touring, riding in the city, sport riding and Asics was one of the first companies to make a tennis-shoe/ boot dedicated to motorcycling.
of the sales department at Person’s says that they want their clothing to be worn by riders, but they are laymen when it comes to motorcycle
clothing. They believe the best way to overcome that is to have a direct line to the motorcycle market, hence the use of bike shops as outlets.
The clothing itself is designed for young people, and it has styling that follows the the current trend toward comfortable, non-restrictive, predominantly cotton apparel. The company makes shirts, pants and jackets, as well as all-cotton jumpsuits styled like racing pit clothing. Person’s is also starting to increase the range of the products it makes to include items such as hats and waist packs.
This line of clothing is not, then, the traditional sort of motorcycle gear. It is casual wear with contemporary styling, but it still maintains the appearance of being functional motorcycle clothing, with vents and pads used where appropriate.
High-tech bike shoes
utility, among others. But during the past several years, the riding-in-thecity category has seen a large increase. The convenience of the motorcycle as something essentially related to daily life, as well as its fashionable, action-packed image, makes the motorcycle popular for riding in the city.
What is common among city riders in Japan is to look smart and lead a flashy lifestyle. For these people, traditional motorcycle boots lack appeal. The reason is that their European and American casual style of dress would be for naught if they wore clumsy-looking utility shoes and boots. Therefore, there has been a recent trend to wear basketball shoes, or sneakers, when riding in the city. Unfortunately, the shoes available up to now have been a little weak for motorcycling and lacked sufficient ankle protection.
Now, however, sports shoes are being made based on the needs of
motorcycle riders. These shoes are made on the premise that they will be used for riding in the city, or for light touring. They are sufficiently heavy-duty, and project an image of casual city style both in design and in color. These shoes have also been finished to match city clothing fashions.
The concept of these shoes perfectly matches the needs of city riders. Thus, the sales are good, and one maker after another is coming out with new products. Basically, these shoes are built by reinforcing the soles and side shell of the basketball shoes and sports shoes. A pad is added above the toe used for shifting in order to provide more comfort and longer wear. The new-wave/ high-tech image has also been incorporated into the design. However, when compared to conventional boots, they are of course lighter and easier to wear. Although they cannot compare with heavy leather riding boots in terms of safety, they can sufficiently carry out their purpose within a limited range of activities.
-Koichi Hirose
