Large cargo pockets,
flaps and upgraded cotton fabrics
represent everything about
about M-51 military pants.

Military clothes improve its
performance according to
the financial condition and military
power of the country of production.

“Speaking of military uniform, the ones made during and after World War 2 may come to most people’s minds. The uniforms designed around World War 1 are often different from what we usually imagine as we look back the history. Some formal tailoring details derived from jackets and trousers can be seen on the military clothes of the period, partly because many of the publicly available photos taken then are of commissioned officers. German Army had made a lot of beautiful uniforms as the country was known as one of the giants in Europe at the time. The functions and details of military clothes are greatly varied according to the manufacturing time and the financial power of the country of production.”

“World War 2 has brought about a significant change in the ideas on military uniforms. The U.S. Army invested huge amounts of money in the research, and produced their military gear on a large scale to supply to many soldiers. The amount was probably so much larger than the one for European countries. Just like a pair of jeans, American-made military trousers of the time were sewn with chain stitches for better production efficiency and durability, while the ones made in Italy were, for example, elegantly sewn with single stitches like a tailored piece. Such a difference between European and American uniform designs can also be seen on their field jackets. I find it really interesting as a designer.”

I became intrigued and fascinated
by the purposeful detailing.

“The M-51 parka was first designed in 1951 as the name implies, and had been used until its successor, the M-65, appeared. While inheriting some details from previous models including M-43 and M-47, the jacket was made with several new features such as huge cargo pockets with inside straps that could be used to stop bleeding as well as to tie up the contents not to make a sound during a night battle. And the reason the buttons of the pockets are covered by the flaps is to prevent those from coming off while crawling forward on elbows.”

We update vintage military
clothes for modern life
to pass those down to the future.

“If I reproduce an old garment in the exactly same design, however, it would look like just another vintage piece. So, after learning about the details and parts of vintage army clothes, we update those for modern life by eliminating unnecessary features for our everyday lives. The influence of military uniforms was also seen on some clothes created by Japanese designer brands that made me interested in fashion. I think we pass down military-inspired designs to the future by repeating such a reproduction cycle.”

“As a part of the collaborative project with BEAMS+ (BEAMS PLUS), we designed exclusive pants by merging M-51 field trousers and over pants. Featuring a waist drawstring inspired by the over pants, the item is stylishly and comfortably made with elastic fabric that we newly developed for this collaboration. Because what BEAMS+ want is often a solid yet stylish enough design for modern use, we also made it in a lean, tapered silhouette. We’ve been trying to modernize the M-51 pants with a careful consideration on the balance between the details and shape, as we regard the item as a perfectly designed masterpiece.”