LOT.411 M-1918 RAIN COAT

This stylish raincoat has its origins from the poncho worn by the army cavalry, with a design that dates back to 1918, created in response to the sudden demand brought about by the New Deal program.

Featuring state-of-the-art waterproof technology of its time with rubberized specifications, this raincoat closely resembles modern designs with details such as underarm ventilation to prevent moisture build-up.

Active as a rain garment during the latter part of World War I, this coat made a reappearance during the Great Depression. While a plain woven cotton fabric was used in the past, T.T has adopted a fabric woven from linen and washi paper for a unique touch.

In Japan, it has traditionally been common to enhance the waterproof and durable qualities of paper by applying persimmon tannin, oils, and lacquer, which was also used in making rain gear. This coat emerged as part of T.T's fundamental approach to revive Western clothing from 100 years ago using Japanese techniques, leading to the idea of dyeing the washi paper fabric with persimmon tannin.

Garment dyed with persimmon tannin, the coat features a marbled pattern resembling tree rings, carefully transcribed from the surface of the water. This marbling technique, originating from a Heian period game, involves gradually dropping ink onto the water surface to create irregular concentric circles resembling tree rings. Each coat is floated on the water’s surface, capturing these concentric patterns. Due to subtle movements of the wind, each pattern formed is unique and can never be replicated. This design encapsulates the beauty of nature and the time that cannot be controlled by human hands.