bootsonatrain
New in Town
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I visited Osaka Japan in June 2024 and wanted to take advantage of the strong dollar to purchase Japanese work wear inspired clothing from well known Osakan brands. Clothing that included leather jackets.
In my research, I learned that Japanese leather jacket stock is seasonal. Typically stock is made and shipped starting in September for the Fall / Winter season. In the summer, most independent retailers are sold out of leather jackets and do not carry stock. I had known about Y2 from instagram and was delightfully surprised that they are headquartered in Osaka. After confirming stock availability, I decided to go directly to the Y2 flagship store so that I can not only shop for jackets but also meet the people behind the brand.
To shop in the flagship Y2 store, I made a reservation one month in advance. The store is tucked away in a quiet residential area, 30 min away from Osaka city center, that is easily accessible by subway and foot. There, I was introduced to the founder of Y2 and one of his jacket sewers who speak great English. They were both both warm and welcoming. With their help, I spent an hour learning from them and tried out 4 leather jackets in different styles and materials ranging from eco-horsehide, indigo horsehide, cow hide and deer skin. At the end, even though I had initially planned on an indigo horse jacket, I walked out with their 25th anniversary limited edition Type 1 Deer Skin Jacket
The style of the jacket is a slim and longer type 1. After putting it on, I thought it was a good fit and not too long for my body. But where this jacket shines and the major reason why I bought it was that it exceeded my expectations in terms of comfort. Even though the jacket is heavy and made from thick 1.8mm leather, it is very easy to wear. When I put it on, it feels like wearing a sweater, I don't feel the weight of the jacket when worn. The weight dissapears. Compare this with my CXL jacket, the wearing experience is night and day. Lastly the deer skin is low maintenance, because it is oily and thick, it requires no maintenance and can be worn in the rain.
I really enjoyed the shopping experience and the jacket I bought. I hope this post will help you in your next leather jacket purchase and perhaps inspire some of you to go visit Osaka one day.
In my research, I learned that Japanese leather jacket stock is seasonal. Typically stock is made and shipped starting in September for the Fall / Winter season. In the summer, most independent retailers are sold out of leather jackets and do not carry stock. I had known about Y2 from instagram and was delightfully surprised that they are headquartered in Osaka. After confirming stock availability, I decided to go directly to the Y2 flagship store so that I can not only shop for jackets but also meet the people behind the brand.
To shop in the flagship Y2 store, I made a reservation one month in advance. The store is tucked away in a quiet residential area, 30 min away from Osaka city center, that is easily accessible by subway and foot. There, I was introduced to the founder of Y2 and one of his jacket sewers who speak great English. They were both both warm and welcoming. With their help, I spent an hour learning from them and tried out 4 leather jackets in different styles and materials ranging from eco-horsehide, indigo horsehide, cow hide and deer skin. At the end, even though I had initially planned on an indigo horse jacket, I walked out with their 25th anniversary limited edition Type 1 Deer Skin Jacket
The style of the jacket is a slim and longer type 1. After putting it on, I thought it was a good fit and not too long for my body. But where this jacket shines and the major reason why I bought it was that it exceeded my expectations in terms of comfort. Even though the jacket is heavy and made from thick 1.8mm leather, it is very easy to wear. When I put it on, it feels like wearing a sweater, I don't feel the weight of the jacket when worn. The weight dissapears. Compare this with my CXL jacket, the wearing experience is night and day. Lastly the deer skin is low maintenance, because it is oily and thick, it requires no maintenance and can be worn in the rain.
I really enjoyed the shopping experience and the jacket I bought. I hope this post will help you in your next leather jacket purchase and perhaps inspire some of you to go visit Osaka one day.
