The Saint Laurent kimono Mark Tuan is wearing above? It’s the Teddy Manches Kimono.
Banzai, everybody. It’s kimono season or as the menswear afficionados call it, a Noragi jacket. Before we dial into the present however about what makes the Saint Laurent Teddy Manches Kimono a go-go, we have to back pedal into the past. Originating during the Shogunate era, of which historians date to 1192–1867, the Tokugawa military government enforced something called an isolationist policy.
To be specific, it meant the honchos and head-of-states micromanaged everything from the people’s diets to even what they wore: a highly enforced caste system if you will. For example, those on the top wore silk and those at the bottom wore Noragi jackets. The latter, however, was specifically made to last forever. Each member of the “system” could only own four — spring, summer, fall, and winter — and the purchase of another was frowned upon.
A prime example of the Noragi jacket: it hits high above the knees, comes lapel-free, and wraps around the body. Photo credit, Japan Focus.
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Now, what then makes the Saint Laurent version modern? As demonstrated by Mark Tuan (scroll to the third or fourth slide), the Saint Laurent Teddy Manches Kimono is the gold standard. A silk lining that keeps the body cool, a front toggle loop closure that does not snag, and most importantly, a patch pocket at the front. And that is before we talk about what it can do for you at night: softening out a usual stuffy bow-tie and jacket fit.
Once you’re done with this story about Mark Tuan’s Saint Laurent jacket, click here to catch up with our June/July 2022 issue!
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