Creating masculinity from the fabric up.
Does fabric simply need to be beautiful?
Uniform, orderly, and free of creases. Of course, fabrics like that are good too.
But I think menswear suits a little roughness.
Good evening. This is Matsushima from cantáte.
<cantáte>
"Linen Washi Shirt Blouson"
¥71,500 TAX IN
"Linen Washi M51 Cargo Pants"
¥82,500 TAX IN
For this collection, we used a densely woven fabric with fine-count linen for the warp and washi paper for the weft.
First of all, it feels extremely dry to the touch.
The dry feel of linen is combined with the body of washi paper. And it has considerably more weight than its appearance suggests.
It is by no means lightweight. If anything, it has a proper substantial weight.
But that weight doesn’t make it feel stifling.
It doesn’t cling to the skin; when worn, the fabric sits slightly away from the body.
This distance from the skin is one of the interesting qualities of the fabric.
Creases aren’t erased; they’re created.
As a finishing treatment, we give it a very strong wash. The aim is the so-called lightning⚡️-like creases.
Irregular, rugged creases run across the fabric. We deliberately disrupt an otherwise orderly surface.
Normally, you try to prevent creases from appearing as much as possible. This garment does the opposite.
The creases create depth and shadow across the surface. Because the fabric has thickness, that texture remains clearly defined.
As you wear it more, further wear marks emerge, creating a contrast between the areas that rub and those that remain. It isn’t finished when new; wearing it makes it grow even more rugged.
That is what makes it masculine.
A shirt’s comfort, a blouson’s character
That is what we made in this fabric: the Shirt Blouson.
As its name suggests, it sits between a shirt and a blouson. Visually, though, it leans considerably toward a blouson.
Because the fabric has weight and body, it holds its outline properly even when worn on its own. From the shoulder through the sleeve, the lines remain rather than collapsing limply.
Even so, the construction remains as much as possible an extension of a shirt.
All structural seams are enclosed. The seam allowances are kept out of sight, thoroughly reducing the amount of information inside.
The outside is rugged. But the inside is quiet.
I really like this contrast.
When worn, no excess seam allowances press against the body, so despite its strong appearance, it feels gentle against the skin.
The three-dimensionality comes from the pattern, not unnecessary decoration. The way the shoulder falls into the sleeve is also adjusted through the lines themselves, rather than by adding panels or details.
It has the presence of a blouson. But I didn’t want the wearing experience to feel heavy.
That is the balance.
M-51 is an easy-to-wear pair of pants.
We also made M-51 Pants in the same fabric.
The M-51 already has a masculine strength of its own: a wide silhouette, large cargo pockets, and a rugged military character.
This time, while retaining that atmosphere, I’ve brought it slightly closer to everyday wear.
The silhouette is decisively wide. The waist is neatly fitted, then it falls naturally from the thighs to the hem.
Because the fabric has substantial weight, the lines stay defined even at this width. As you walk, large creases form at the knees and thighs, and the fabric sags. Including that movement, these are highly masculine pants.
The cargo pockets and flaps aren’t made to look larger than necessary. The top button is buffalo horn, and the front zipper is TALON.
These details aren’t there simply to evoke a vintage look.
I want to choose things that properly settle into you after being handled again and again and worn for years.
A garment’s strength doesn’t come from flashy details; it emerges through continued use.
Rugged, but not crude
Worn as a set, they have a considerable presence.
Lightning-like creases, a dry surface, and substantial weight. These are by no means delicate clothes.
But it isn’t simply rough and rugged, either.
The seam allowances are neatly enclosed, the lines are refined, and anything unnecessary has been removed.
It’s rugged. But it isn’t crude.
That, to me, is probably what masculinity is.
It’s not about making it look bigger or tougher. It’s about doing nothing unnecessary while still making sure it has a presence.
It would be easy to push it more obviously toward military wear.
Making the pockets bigger, adding more details, and making it look more “authentic”—that’s all it takes.
But these days, rather than bringing it over as-is, I find it more interesting to take a step back and reconsider it.
Leave the fabric rugged. Leave the shape quiet.
That balance between the two feels just right to me now.
Not too polished. Not too lightweight.
Ruggedness and refinement. It takes both to make the kind of menswear I envision.
cantáte Shin Matsushima
