Until now, the pants that mù_ has sold have tended to have a more casual feel to them.
Among them, the EASY TROUSERS and PIN TUCK DENIM TROUSERS had elements that made them look slightly like slacks, but the newly released CURVED LINE TROUSERS were made with a different focus from previous models, with the aim of creating neater slacks from the start.
When we think of smart pants, we tend to imagine formal slacks, but Kimura's vision is one that is strictly within the world of mù_, using chino fabric, which has a casual image, and a design that is completely different from the typical image of slacks.
At first glance it looks simple, but its elegant and soft feel and three-dimensional silhouette make it a unique piece that defies existing definitions.
-Did you find the fabric for the CURVED LINE TROUSERS that are being released this time?
Kimura: This time, our approach was a little different. We started with the idea of including an item like a nice pair of slacks in the brand.
The reason is that mù_'s pants up until now have had a rather casual element to them, so we wanted to create something with a different theme, something that had a nice, clean look.
So this time I started with the design idea before the fabric.
Up until now, the process has been to find a fabric and then come up with a design that would make the most of that fabric, but with this, it felt like I was finding the fabric and designing in parallel.
-When you think of smart slacks, you might imagine neat pants, but these have a unique silhouette.
What is the definition of "nice slacks"?
Kimura: It's difficult to put into words, but in a word, it's a three-dimensional design that fits the human body.
These trousers incorporate mù_ 's signature design of being carved and wide, which separates them from the body, but the waist and hips are made to follow the curves of the body, making them look beautiful rather than simply being wide pants.
This is just my own personal feeling so it might be hard to explain, but for example, the EASY TROUSERS are elegant items that have been roughly broken down to create a casual look, whereas the CURVED LINE TROUSERS are like chinos with the rough American casual elements stripped away to create something elegant.
-What are the characteristics of the fabric?
Kimura: The fabric I chose this time is the same fabric used for the uniforms of the United States Military Academy, West Point.
This fabric has the same weave as what is commonly referred to as chino, but it has a higher density, is shiny, and is extremely tough and firm.
We have processed the fabric to take advantage of this elegant luster while still creating the drape that is characteristic of mù_.
-What kind of processing?
Kimura: This is a process we also did with the EASY TROUSERS fabric, but we did a process to release some of the cotton at the fabric stage, and we did it more times this time.
This allows the material to retain its luster and toughness while emphasizing its cotton-like softness.
-Did you want to make use of the glossy feel?
Kimura: Up until now, when I've used chino material I've mostly made casual items, so I've taken advantage of the rough feel that's unique to cotton, but this time I wanted to get rid of the rugged elements of American casual style, so luster and softness were important points for me when choosing the fabric.
-Does the CURVED LINE in the item name come from this distinctive silhouette?
Kimura: That's right.
To create this curved silhouette, we make the thigh width quite wide and add a strong taper, but if we made it as is with the softened fabric this time, it would end up draping rather than full, and it would end up looking oversized or like wide pants.
That wouldn't have produced the silhouette I intended, so I took the opportunity to create a more three-dimensional structure, using different areas to make the fabric taut and other areas to create a drapery look, and through the composition of the pattern and ingenuity in the fine details I have come up with a way to emphasise the curves.
-The tapered design is also quite distinctive.
Kimura: The hem width itself is not extremely narrow, but since the thigh width is wide, it looks strongly tapered.
We have set the hem width around this size in the past, but this is the first time we have made the difference in width with the thigh width this large.
Another thing that makes them a little different from regular tapered pants is the irregular tucks on the front.
There is a large amount of fabric around the waist and thighs, so the pants are comfortable to wear, but the tucks fold the fabric so that they don't look too large.
This creates a curved line that is slightly slim around the waist, puffs out at the knees, and then tapers again towards the hem.
That's why we don't call them tapered, but rather call them CURVED LINE TROUSERS.
-What is an irregular tuck?
Kimura: As I said before, one reason is to accentuate the curves, but by using outbox pleats, the waist area bulges vertically, making it look slimmer. The horizontal bulge from the thighs to the knees and the narrow hem combine to create a beautiful curve.
-What other things did you use to express this curved line?
Kimura: The sides are sewn with a lap seam, which creates a core and gives the garment a clear outline, while also pulling the fabric at the front to give it firmness, and allowing the excess fabric to drape at the back.
This does not simply give the shape a round appearance when viewed from the front, but expresses a three-dimensional roundness.
Actually, I have some old clothes that have been sewn like this.
It seems likely that the person who wore it modified it themselves to change the size, but I've always thought that style of stitching was interesting and it had vaguely crossed my mind that I might be able to use it someday.
I thought that this would be useful when I was thinking about these pants.
- I think one of the key features of previous EASY TROUSERS and CLOWN PANTS was making the most of the drape, but is this item different?
Kimura: No, that's not true.
Of course, it is necessary to ensure that the fabric has an elegant drape to create the atmosphere of the brand.
The EASY TROUSERS can be worn in any style, and the fullness of the CLOWN PANTS was created with the idea of taking advantage of their drape, giving them a relaxed look when worn, but this time I wanted to create an item called slacks within the mù_ brand, so although the fabric is soft, I deliberately did not give off that drape to give them a more elegant look.
-What else do you do to make it look nice?
Kimura: My definition of nice pants is ones that make the waist look slim, so I do take that into consideration.
The rise is quite deep, but there is a difference between the front and back rise, with the front being set lower.
This is a setting that creates a neat look with a firm waistline when viewed from the front, but if the back is also the same height it will look sagging.
Therefore, the back is set at a height that fits snugly around the high waist.
Also, if the outbox pleats puff out too much they will look bulky, so we have added belt loops in a position that will hold the pleats in place.
Another small detail is that the stitching is finer compared to ordinary casual pants, so that aspect is also a bit more delicate.
-Even though you call them "stylish slacks," they're not ordinary slacks.
Kimura: That's right.
Because I don't want to just make generic items in a normal way.
This isn't limited to the pants we're talking about these days, but I often try to do things that you wouldn't normally do with an item, while considering the balance of fabric, processing, design, silhouette, etc.
I think using unusual fabrics to create unusual silhouettes, or using flashy colors and patterns, is also individualistic, but what we are conscious of with this brand is that while things may look simple and elegant, they are actually not ordinary at all.
I believe that this is what will raise the excitement of the person who wears it.
These pants look to be made of the same material as regular chinos, and the sand beige color is a classic one, but the soft feel they offer is completely different from regular chinos.
And it's a silhouette after all.
I don't think there is anywhere else that has a silhouette with a three-dimensional roundness created by calculating the vertical and horizontal volume.
CURVED LINE TROUSERS
Colour: SAND BEIGE
Size: S/M/L/XL
Price: ¥30,800
▼Product page here
CURVED LINE TROUSERS