With the hot summer finally behind us, it may feel slightly early, but it's almost time to start preparing for winter again. Just like Creative Director Minami's own wardrobe last winter, which he survived with only two options; coats or down, this season's Graphpaper collection also offers a full lineup of outerwear capable of becoming key staples in the cold months ahead. So which item will become your ideal winter companion?
Interview & Text by Rui Konno
―Last time you mentioned that last winter you got through with just "a coat or a down jacket." Now that the weather is cooling down, I'd love to ask about this year's outerwear situation.
Yeah, it's still going to be coats or down. Just one of the two - that's really how it is.
―With that in mind, can you tell us about Graphpaper's coats and down jackets for this year? Let's start with the coats. All three use the same fabric, right?
Right. It's a light melton made from Super 140's wool—very fine fibers. A water-soluble yarn is used which then dissolves during the finishing process after dyeing. So you get a fabric with thickness, yet surprisingly light.
―It looks at first glance like a classic melton, but it's made in a very technical way.
Exactly. Every time I wear a coat, I think dense, high-quality melton is great, but it's heavy. So I went searching for a way to make a melton coat feel light while still having that rich texture. Once we found this fabric, we've kept using it ever since. I'm not even sure how many seasons now. It's become one of our core materials.
―Generally, lightweight melton fabrics end up quite thin, but this still retains a lot of fullness.
That's because I always demand things that seem contradictory (laughs). But I can't help it, a melton coat should still feel like a melton coat.
―Especially with Graphpaper's generous silhouettes, standard melton would become very heavy.
Exactly. Our coats use a lot of fabric, so if the melton itself were heavy, it would be way too much.
―Inside straps are included so you can wear the coat on your back like a backpack.
Right. That's because I get hot easily. Even in winter, it's often really hot inside, so it's incredibly convenient for those situations. It's more of a detail I added out of necessity than design. I've already proven its usefulness - the convenience is fully verified by me (laughs).
―In terms of shapes, this one is the most traditional.
We've always made this oversized bal-collar type. Personally, I like long lengths, but quite a few people prefer shorter coats. For those people, this one is probably ideal. It's based on a pea coat, but with a shawl collar and dropped shoulders for a casual throw-on feel. I guess it's easier to understand if I say it's a coat that's a bit like a cardigan. I think regular peacoats have a lot of details, but I tried to minimize this one as much as possible to make it more casual.
- Light Melton Shawl Collar Coat / - Light Melton Oversized Coat
―The last model, on the other hand, feels more like a faithful nod to military.
- Light Melton Pea Coat
Yes. This is the coat I personally wanted most. Lately I've really been into things that feel a bit "old guy-ish," and I wanted to make a coat like this. This year, this is the one for me.
―So it perfectly matches your current mood.
I made it because it's something I wanted - I'm not concerned if it doesn't sell. I think everyone will choose either the bal-collar or shawl collar (laughs).
―(Laughs) I'm sure that's not necessarily true, but it definitely has a different personality.
I like wearing a double-breasted coat with the buttons open. And just long coats in general. Even if someone tells me, "You don't need that many long coats," I'll still make more. So this is a generously sized double coat, completely for my own tastes. Those who love it, will - and those who don't, won't at all.
―But that's much more interesting than trying to make something that's just generally accepted. Especially in clothing.
Exactly. Making what you truly want - that's what this is. I also like how well it protects the neck. When you turn the collar up and fasten the throat latch, it looks completely different. You can throw it on, or wear it all closed up - both look great. I wear coats a lot in winter, but I wonder how most people feel.
―I think many people want to wear coats. There are easier outerwear options, but I think there's something stylistic about a coat itself - like the gestural nature of taking it off.
That's true. For me, this winter again, it will be a wool jersey matching set with a coat. People will think I just wear the same thing every day, but I don't care anymore (laughs).
―(Laughs) The colors reflect this season's theme as well?
That's right, alongside our standard black. When I travel abroad too, this is the easiest thing to throw on. It's very me.
―So that's one of your winter uniforms. Now let's talk about the down jackets - the baffles (down compartments) between the stitching have lots of volume.
Last autumn/winter we experimented with garment-dyed down, and it was really well received. So this season, we updated it with the collection colors.
-Garment Dyed Down Jacket
―But wait, can you even dye down garments after they're sewn?
I was shocked at first too. My instinct was, "no way". But there's a factory we use that can do it. They won't tell us how, though (laughs). So I don't actually know the detailed method.
―Regardless, the coloration on this down is incredibly appealing.
As I've mentioned a few times before, at Graphpaper we've been experimenting for the past few years with "what happens when you wash things that shouldn't be washed." Down jackets are already expensive, and we were about to give up because it would be a disaster if the feathers started coming through as you wore it. But now that we've actually managed to accomplish it - I'm very pleased. It's this process of taking something ordinary and pushing it somewhere unexpected.
―The color is distinctive, but the texture is also unique.
The shell is a slightly brushed, high-density nylon. When you see it in person, you might think "What is this fabric?" It could easily be mistaken for synthetic fill, but it's proper down - which is what makes it interesting. Still lightweight and soft.
―It retains that classic down volume too, which makes the contrast even stronger.
The starting point was "can we take the classic down jacket and make it more minimal in structure and build?" The construction itself is somewhat classic, but by removing the unnecessary and hiding some of the stitching, I think we've made it feel quite modern. This greige color doesn't feel overly traditional either and it's surprisingly easy to style.
―The fill amount looks substantial, providing plenty of warmth.
Definitely. And very light. There's a drawcord at the hem for adjustment, and I think the shoulders fall very nicely too.
―Speaking of design details, the other down piece has a very different approach.
This one began with a desire to make a down shorter-length coat. The first test sample was made quite early on, and we reworked it through several iterations. We redid everything from the shoulder structure to the amount of down in each panel, reducing it by several grams.
- PERTEX QUANTUM AIR Bal Collar Down Coat
―I've seen both the first and final samples - the proportion has changed a lot.
The first one was really big and bold, right? The challenge was refining that volume. The shoulders need to drop naturally, but I didn't want to reduce the body fill too much. We dismantled the entire first sample and calculated precisely the grams of down needed for each section. Then went through this process several times...
―Because the shell is so soft, the fill weight directly affects the silhouette.
Exactly. The shell is PERTEX Quantum Air, so it's water-repellent, but I still wanted it to feel properly like a down item.
―Water-repellent shell contrasting with a button-through front - very Graphpaper.
We don't need that kind of 'outdoor functionality' like waterproof zippers to seal out moisture. In city life, a water-repellent surface is enough. The experiment is always like this - what happens if we take those elements and shift them toward fashion? With this construction, you can wear it in the same way you'd wear a regular coat.
―A down coat with this silhouette feels refreshing. Relaxed, but not sloppy.
Those long down coats wealthy older ladies wear can be… intense, right? The ones with the hoods (laughs).
―(Laughs) Well, everyone has their taste. But yes, they lean very conservative. This coat has the volume of down, yet without visible quilting which is rare.
We kept the down structures hidden to keep the look clean. But if we removed the volume entirely, then what's the point of using down? The goal was a midpoint - between a coat and a down jacket. It's really warm, so I think you can just throw it on over a lighter outfit and head out.
―According to the product info, the down is already released?
Yes. It's still a little early to wear them, but down always sells out to the early buyers every year. "I missed it last time, so I'm buying early this year," that kind of thing.
―At this rate, the season for outerwear will be here before we know it.
Exactly. This year is already almost over - so if you're interested, definitely sooner rather than later.