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Postwar Founder Reinvents Men's Fashion
- Kensuke Ishizu returned to devastated postwar Japan and founded Vanjaket to make ready-to-wear men's clothing.
- He pivoted toward youth fashion after finding wealthy Japanese rejected off-the-rack garments.
Youth As A Market For Style Change
- Ishizu targeted young people because they hadn't fixed opinions about ready-to-wear clothing.
- Winning youth would create long-term customers open to off-the-rack elegance.
Princeton Visit Sparks Aesthetic Shift
- Ishizu visited Princeton in 1959 and saw students wearing blazers, chinos, and Oxford shirts with intentional wear.
- He recognized a similarity to Japan's bankaraboy aesthetic and felt Ivy looked 'cool.'