Whether You Care or Not Is Everything—About the cantáte Jacket

Good evening. I’m Matsushima from cantáte.

Jackets may be chosen more often for their “overall character” than slacks.

But in fact, “character” is never accidental; it can only come from the accumulation of details.

Today, I would like to explain why cantáte jackets look so natural and beautiful──

Let me introduce a few of the reasons.

■ Why the collar sits properly──the gorge and stitching

In the past, with the expectation that a garment would be passed from parent to child, major alterations extending up to the collar were taken for granted.

These days, many collars have an “imitation” gorge, but at cantáte, we retain a fully functional gorge.

In addition, adding collar cloth and stitching to the collar stand is designed to create a clean, beautiful roll.

It does not show visually, but it makes a difference in the “settled” feel when worn.

■ The balca pocket is “eased”

Even if you put glasses in the breast pocket, they will probably look as though they are not there.

That is because the pocket opening is carefully eased.

Originally, this balca pocket was the only suit pocket made by hand.

But at cantáte, all the pockets are made by hand.

Why? Because it looks better that way.

■ Soft flaps made without fusible interlining

The flaps and maniple darts are all designed to be soft and follow the lines of the body.

I like “good looks in its bare skin,” without covering it up with makeup.

■ No collar stand, single-piece collar

The collar of a cantáte jacket is a single-piece collar without a collar stand.

It is a traditional construction in which a rectangular piece of fabric is shaped into a collar through ironing alone.

But with that construction, the collar break line is prone to shifting.

That is why we use tack stitches to engineer the “turn of cloth”. It is a subtle but important design philosophy.

■ The inner shoulder seam is “hand-sewn”

The greatest advantage of hand sewing is that the tension is soft.

It also leaves the seam allowance thin and neat.

The inner shoulder seam of a cantáte jacket is like a natural action pleat.

When worn, it naturally supports the range of movement around the shoulder blades.

■ Armhole and sleeve-bottom finishing

We trim the seam allowance slightly at the bottom of the sleeve so it does not press against the underarm.

This alone dramatically reduces discomfort when you move.

We also gather the excess lining at the bottom of the sleeve with tack stitches.

Gathering the excess fullness makes it easier to put your arm through.

■ Thread loop

A small loop secures the underarm sweat pad so it does not flap around.

It is subtle, but you notice it when it is missing.

Clothes made by “people who care” are properly finished even in details like these.

■ Triangular flap

It is one of the classic details, but

In fact, few brands actually make these properly.

The corners of cantáte’s triangular flaps are also finished properly and carefully.

You can see it when you look, and understand it even better when you touch it.

■ Double-welt pockets at different angles

In fact, we set each pocket at a different angle.

Because that makes it feel more natural when you put your hand in and makes it easier to take things in and out.

“Ease of use” cannot be understood at a glance.

But you notice it immediately with everyday use.

■ Pleats in the lining──so contents do not show through

When you put a wallet or card case in the inner pocket,

The weight pulls the jacket downward, creating wrinkles in the outer fabric.

To prevent that, we add pleats to the lining.

When this detail is working, the clean impression at first glance is completely different.

■ Flexibility created by “hand stitching” along the side seam

When holding onto a train strap or driving a car,

Just a little “extra room” in the side seam makes it remarkably easier to move.

This freedom of movement is made possible by hand stitching.

You cannot see it, but you should be able to feel it.

■ Anti-flare tape in the side vents

You would tell someone to be careful if a skirt flared up and revealed their trousers, wouldn’t you?

Even a jacket vent looks uncool when it flares open.

That is why cantáte incorporates anti-flare tape into the side vents.

A beautiful silhouette is determined by what is built into it.

■ Generous seam allowance in the sleeve lining

The lining is out of sight, but when you sweat or bend your arms, any tightness can be quietly irritating.

At cantáte, we leave generous seam allowances in the sleeve lining so they do not restrict movement.

It uses more fabric, but the comfort is completely different.

■ “Mysterious stitches” and “tape” behind the side vent

Try turning back the side vent.

It does not show on the outside, but mysterious stitches and tape appear when you turn it inside out.

This is an old construction developed to avoid using fusible interlining.

Because it is not bonded, it will not peel off.

It is safe even when dry-cleaned.

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■ “Thread loop” on the half-lined back

Because the small loop keeps the lining from being pulled unnecessarily,

The whole lining settles naturally into place.

Perhaps this is what you might call “tailoring the garment.”

Finally

At first glance, a cantáte jacket is very simple.

but behind that simplicity is the handiwork of people who care about the details.

Rather than standing out as “design,”

It follows the body naturally as a matter of “construction.”

that is a cantáte jacket.

The next time you try on a jacket,

The way the collar falls, how the sleeves hug your arms, the depth of the pockets, the movement of the vents──

please take a close look at the details.

I think you can tell immediately when you wear it whether it has been “properly made,” but

It’s very important to understand why.That’s what I think.

In the next blog post, I’ll tell you about slacks.

cantáte Matsushima Shin