This series is a project in which Hagiwara, who runs with the duo (Nishioka & Yoshida) who created the milestone items, listens to them and delves deeper into their stories (as he runs with them on #WednesdayBudouzakaRen).

・Performance model

Nishioka (hereinafter, Nishi): Today, how about we start with the question, "What T- shirt did you wear to a trail running race?" In my case, it was a Capilene from a certain P company. It was from the time when it had a design with a contrasting color. It was made of a very thin material, and I even wore it to the hot "Krondo Rondo" in August ( a lap race of about 8.6 kilometers held at Kurondo Park in Katano City, Osaka Prefecture).

Yoshida (hereinafter Yoshi): I was wearing a T- shirt printed by Atsugi University (a fictional university based in Atsugi that does trail running). The body was from MUJI, and it had a good balance between price and quality.

Nishi: The Muji T- shirts are no longer in production. They came in a wide variety of colors though.

 

Yoshi: I participated in the Atsugi University Group Run. When I first started trail running, I collected T- shirts from various garage manufacturers, trying out different materials, and the ones with " TRAIL " or " TAIL RUNNING " on them looked great. I have about 50 T- shirts (laughs), and I wore them all the time.

Hagiwara (hereinafter, Hagi): I've been taking a break from racing for a while, but when I was racing I used to wear cotton-like polyester T- shirts with the team logo printed on them. Back then I prioritized the logo and didn't care much about functionality, but that team has since dissolved, so I'd like a new racing T-shirt . I've started racing again, too.

 

Yoshi: We have just the right thing (laughs). The starting point for these Doo Bop T-shirts was to create something that we ourselves would want to wear as a competitive T- shirt during races.

Nishi: I think it's a model that will perform well in races and when it really matters.

Hagi: So that's what you mean by performance model (laughs).

 

Yoshi: That's right.

 

 

・What is Moku?

 

 

Nishi: I wanted to create something that was thin, comfortable against the skin, and not too smooth or shiny. That was the idea from the beginning.

 

Yoshi: We thought something with a wood grain look would be nice.

 

Nishi: Just to let you know, what is "moku"? I've heard of "moku" gray a lot. Yoshida, could you explain it to me? (laughs)

 

Yoshi: It's hard to explain, but it's the grey of the classic Champion or college T- shirts. It's top-dyed, meaning it's dyed before it's made into thread. Heathered thread is made by mixing white cotton into it. It takes more steps than a T- shirt dyed in a single color, so the cost is higher. This time, we expressed the heathered color tone using polyester. By using different types of polyester, the ease of dyeing varies depending on the temperature, creating a marbled or heathered look.

Nishi: We asked the factory we purchased from to make something that was difficult to do, but they agreed to make it from scratch. I think they were really cooperative. The person in charge at the time was also a runner, so I think they understood what we were trying to do. When the first sample came out, we thought, "This is it!"

 

Yoshi: Nishioka-san searched all over for fabric, went to fabric exhibitions, and even found fabrics from overseas, but in the end we decided that we had no choice but to try making something original. We had a factory in Japan knit a trial piece, and the one they showed us was amazing.

 

Nishi: The test piece is about 30cm square. Even if it looks good, we can't go ahead and try it on . We had one roll made as a sample.

 

Hagi: One tan?!

 

Nishi: One tan is roughly 50 meters.

 

Hagi: Hi!!

 

Yoshi: At worst, I would buy the whole sample roll, so I had them make it. After all, even if it's thin and looks good, you can't really tell until you try it on. I wanted to test how well the fabric retains sweat, so I had a sample made into a T- shirt shape, which I wore during the hot weather last year. It was in June , and I even carried just under two liters of water during the OSJ Yamanaka Onsen Trail Race (Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture). It doesn't retain moisture and dries quickly. It feels comfortable against the skin, so I decided to make it.

 

・Running pattern

 

 

Nishi: I asked our regular pattern maker, JK, to make the pattern.

 

Hagi: You introduced the Daybreak Merino T- shirt in episode 9 , but is the shape or pattern the same?

 

Yoshi: The length, width, and shoulder width are the same as the Daybreak Merino. The sleeve length is slightly shorter. The Merino is normal because we want it to be used for hiking, but this is a running model. To allow for easier movement, the sleeves are raglan sleeves instead of set-in.

Nishi: Because you swing your arms when you run.

 

Hagi: You can't simply compare the sizes. Merino is written in terms of shoulder width and sleeve length, but raglan is written in terms of sleeve length.

 

Nishi: What does sleeve length mean? I've been in the fashion industry for a long time (laughs), so of course I know, but could you explain it to our listeners, Yoshida?

 

Yoshi: There are a lot of things to point out, but it's okay (laughs).

Sleeve length is shoulder width divided by 2 + sleeve length. Simply put, it is the distance from the center of the back of the neck to the end of the sleeve.

Actually, at first I tried making it with a tighter width because it was intended for racing. In the end, I found that it was more comfortable to wear with the same width as the Daybreak Merino, so I made it the same width.

As explained with the merino, this fabric comes into direct contact with the skin, so we used flat seams again this time.

Nishi: We had the colors dyed as well. Steel gray and leaf green. I think they're unisex colors. What's great about both colors is that sweat stains don't show up easily even in the middle of summer. Up until now, we'd just find a certain fabric or body and print on it, but milestone 's apparel production has finally entered the next stage. I think that's why we're able to create such good products.

 

 

・New "LIGHTING YOUR WAY"

 

 

Yoshi: Just when the fabric was ready and we thought this would work, Tom from America sent us a simple graphic of the slogan " LIGHTING YOUR WAY " and asked, "What do you think of this?"

Nishi: It was designer Tom Maxwell. I had him do a test print of this T-shirt and it turned out perfect. I also liked the white print. He incorporated the milestone signpost into the "T" in " LIGHTING YOUR WAY ." I want to treasure this logo as well.

By the way, Tom is the designer of the BAMBI100 logo and


He designed the label for the collaboration beer with Minoh Beer, which is sold at milestone TERADACHO . I haven't met Tom yet though (lol).

Hagi: Huh!!

 

Yoshi: We're good friends online and we often talk to each other face-to-face via video chat.

 

Nishi: We haven't met in person (laughs). I'm blessed with such a talented designer. I'd like to continue creating various works with him. There are quite a few that have been shelved.

 

Yoshi: They have a great sense of style, so they send us products from a variety of angles. They're stored in the storehouse for now, but there's a chance they'll come out again when the time is right.

 

 

・I'm sure it will become a masterpiece

 

 

Nishi: It will be released in January when this column is posted (currently on sale). It's made for trail running, but you can also wear it for marathons. This winter is also warm.

 

Yoshi: I'd like people to wear it for road running too. At this time of year, I'd like you to pair this T- shirt with arm sleeves.

 

Nishi: It works well together. I also wear Fast Trail Gloves . I used that combination for the Takeda no Mori trail running race last December (a 30km course starting at Takeda Shrine and running around the Satoyama area of ​​Kofu).

Yoshi: It can be used in all seasons, from Yamanaka Onsen in midsummer to Takeda no Mori in midwinter. It sheds a lot, so if you have a sensitive stomach, you might want to wear a belly warmer with it.

 

Nishi: The fabric is really good, so I'd like to make sleeveless pieces for midsummer in the future.

 

Hagi: I'm looking forward to that too! It's sure to be hot again this year. Finally, please tell us the origin of the name.

 

Yoshi: This is taken from the name of Miles Davis' album " Doo-Bop ." This album was met with mixed reviews when it was first released, but was later recognized as a masterpiece. This is our first performance model, so we weren't sure if it would be well-received right away, but we named it after it because we were confident that people would definitely like it.

 

Nishi: I hope Doo Bop T-shirts becomes a classic album too.

 

 

This time, we asked him about the T- shirts he would like to wear to the race. The Doo Bop T-shirts were a challenging design for the milestone brand, with particular attention paid to the fabric.

A race is a special occasion, a place of great challenge. That's why it can be nerve-wracking and anxiety-inducing. But you've been training for months, so just being able to stand at the starting line is a great honor. All you have to do is keep a calm mind and give it your all, no matter what the outcome.

A new year has begun. Let's take on a new challenge this year. Wear something that makes you feel good.

So, look forward to seeing you again next month.

 

Text and composition: Ken Hagiwara