OUTDOOR
The mid-60s was a time when more and more Americans sought to enjoy the outdoors and fashion ideas that were part of that adventure. Particularly around the time of the Vietnam War and during the struggle for civil rights and antiwar protests, it was a time when people no longer accepted traditional values without question. People turned to Eastern thought and rediscovered nature. This was also the era that produced the hippie movement. People found durable mass-produced military products also performed well when put to other uses, and this, in turn, fostered new lines of heavy-duty outdoor products. People also sought out the knowledge and skills of indigenous Indians and the expertise that European immigrants brought to America as well as their hunting and fishing gear, which eventually consolidated into a unique American outdoor style that fascinated people and took off in popularity.
The BOY outdoor concept is a synonym for heavy-duty. Functional. Durable. Nothing extravagant included just to add value. Everything has a purpose. The same can be said of military wear and workwear. BOY is attracted to the simple and sturdy because behind the creation of each and every one of these essential garments is an unambiguous story of why this particular item had to be created. We believe in the importance of treasuring our own values and style regardless of what today’s trend says. And that is very similar to the ‘heavy-duty’ that dwells in outdoor wear and why we regard it as a category worthy to be a core of our brand.
NORFOLK JACKET
RUGBY SHIRTS
THERMAL
T-SHIRT & PANTS
BAG & WALLET
RUGBY SHIRTS
MOUNTAIN PARKA
RINGER T-SHIRT
BUSH SKIRT
SANDALS
SOCKS
SOCKS
SOCKS
ROOTS
The Norfolk jacket is a classic country jacket that originated in Norfolk County, England. One theory holds that, in the 1860s, the Duke of Norfolk used to wear it as a hunting jacket when out in Norfolk County and Scotland. Despite its English roots, famous American outdoor brands have also created their own Norfolk jackets, transforming this classic so it also speaks to the American outdoors. That’s where BOY stepped in with our own interpretation. We set up a project to create a Norfolk jacket like no other, crafted with thin material for spring and summer wear as well.
Many heavy-duty items, such as the Norfolk jacket, hail from Europe. One reason for the plethora of such items has to do with the popularity of European Alps mountain climbing in the late 18th century. In 1760, a natural scientist famously offered prize money to the first person that successfully reached the peak of Mount Blanc. This was the spark that would later lead to the establishment of several outdoor brands tracing their origins back to Europe. In the United States, the outdoor movement gained momentum in the 1960s in the midst of the hippie counterculture’s back-to-the-land movement. European outdoor items were already widely used around that time and, from these, many American outdoor items were also developed.
Enthusiasts in the United States incorporated for their own purposes mountain climbing and hunting gear from Europe along with other heavy-duty items developed for that cold climate. For us at BEAMS BOY with our roots in Americana, such history accounts for why this jacket, which first appeared in Europe, caught our eye.
First worn in England for hunting, the Norfolk jacket has been adored as a heavy-duty outdoor item in the United States. Generally, when tailoring a Norfolk jacket, one chooses a heavy fabric, such as a herringbone tweed or corduroy, suited to the autumn/winter season. BOY, to the contrary, decided to use a thinner material, linen, to make our Norfolk jacket with the specific idea of enjoying it in spring and summer. This lightweight jacket maintains the integrity of those special details designed for hunting: the natural shoulder line, waist belt, and flapped pockets. Our jacket is an improvement on the traditional garment thanks to its shorter length, making it better for daily wear. With slacks made of the same material, you now have a stylish coordinate set.
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T-SHIRT & PANTS
T-SHIRT & PANTS
ROOTS
Tracing back in time to the origins of sportswear, we eventually find the material wool. It was first used to make the sweatshirts that we all know and love today. This is also true for the rugger shirt as it was originally 100% wool. It seems to be around the 1950s that people found a cotton rugger shirt would be easier to wear and take care of, and so the change was made. To withstand heavy-duty use, rubber buttons were adopted so that they would just come undone rather than breaking or popping off. Durable cotton was added to reinforce the collar, pad the elbows, and make a shirt capable of withstanding an intense and competitive sport like rugby. Those are also the distinguishing features of our beloved rugger shirt.
Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard is credited for his sharp eye and ability to recognize the potential of the rugger shirt. Yvon, a well-known surfer and rock climber, fell in love with its durability while traveling. He would wear his rugger shirt when climbing Yosemite’s El Capitan and other famous cliffs. Hearing of his experiences, more and more people took to wearing the rugger shirt, making it a staple of their outdoor wear. Of course, everyone is also familiar with this shirt, having seen teams adorn it as they play rugby, a classic American university sport. BEAMS BOY has always felt the rugger shirt to be, of course, sportswear, but, even more than that, to be an item that we can combine and wear as an outdoor or trad-style coordinate. Our appreciation stems from the rugger shirt’s history.
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ROOTS
Sierra Designs Mountain Parka is the staple of staples of American outerwear. It is the model for all outdoor jackets and, just as the name indicates, it is durable, functional waterproof/wind-resistant fabric perfect for the mountains. Ever since Sierra Designs released the first mountain parka in 1968, it has been the core of any wardrobe, this masterpiece that is essential for the mountains and a favorite for everyday, too.
One distinctive feature is its storage capacity, the same as a small daypack. The flapped chest pockets on both sides are standard plus two large gusseted side pockets. It also comes with reinforced hand warmer pockets. The pocket flaps keep rain out. There is also a large zippered pocket on the back. From the meticulous detail of our mountain parka, you can immediately discern its functionality for storing maps and other gear necessary for outdoor experiences, yet providing thermal insulation even with such a thin layer.
The mountain parka is made of functional 60/40 cloth that Sierra Designs developed in the 1960s, 60% cotton and 40% nylon. This cotton-nylon combination synergistically enhances the effectiveness of each material. In adverse weather conditions, the cotton expands and holds moisture, keeping water out thanks to its high density, while the nylon blocks the wind.
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- JP
- EN
Twenty-five years ago in 1998, the first BEAMS BOY shop opened in Harajuku.
The concept is simple. As expressed in the name, BEAMS BOY was created for boyish girls attracted to men’s clothing who want to blend it into their look.
What is it about essential men’s clothing that we are drawn to?
It’s the deep-rooted heritage.
Clothing with a well-defined genealogy carries a story in the enduring details and evokes a warmth produced from its unique fortitude and continuing embrace.
More particularly, those clothes were created for a specific purpose and continue to pass on their folklore along with meticulous craftsmanship.
And, we want to walk along our journey amidst those clothes.
That is our creed.
We have created our own unparalleled value in five core categories spanning heavy-duty items for work,
military and sports that have always been dearly loved ever since their creation in addition to the Ivy League and Preppy looks exemplifying the American traditional style.
These five categories are the core of what it means to be BEAMS BOY.
Knowing where someone or something originally comes from, the roots planted before the heritage that we see, is part of the fun of the fashion story.
Moreover, with a knowledge of that background, we then produce our own arrangements.
Our hope here is to pen a bible of sorts for crafting your own style, a style that is encompassed by that heritage and focus.
If you see something that piques your interest, open to that page and discover.
The more we learn about heritage, the story behind an article of clothing, the fonder we become of it.
The coordinates that we find are a delightful joy.
“THE INDEX: BOY” is a stylebook that brings you a behind the scenes look at this history for a better understanding of BEAMS BOY clothes.