Seagulls daylight robbing your chips, the inflated price of a Mr Whippy, theme-park-worthy queues to enter a beer garden… Despite it happening every year, Britain just isn’t built for summer. But do you know where is? Japan. The weather is glorious, hydrangeas and lavender bloom, and Mt Fuji’s summit becomes scalable.
If a trip to the Land of the Rising Sun isn’t on the cards for you, let us inject some Japanese style magic into your domestic summer. Here, we team an array of Far-East-inspired prints with watches from the Seiko Presage Sharp Edged Series, which takes inspiration from Japan’s natural world.
Blue Blue Japan + Presage Sharp Edged Series Black
We had to kick off this list with the ultimate summer staple: the revere collar shirt. This vacation top in lightweight rayon celebrates the famous Japanese sakura tree (otherwise known as the cherry blossom) with scattered petals over a wavy graphic that resembles the lines in the sand of a bonsai garden. It’s fashioned by Blue Blue Japan, famed for its use of traditional dyeing techniques to achieve a rich indigo shade.
The Presage Sharp Edged Series watch we’ve teamed this up with follows the same ethos of paying homage to nature, as its dial pattern is inspired by a historical artistic design of a plant grown in Japan for over 10,000 years – hemp. This ancient pattern has been seen in Japanese artisan objects since the Heian period (794-1185), and has now made its way into contemporary timekeeping with a sleek angular styling.
A Bathing Ape + Presage “Kabuki” Limited Edition
A kimono may not be the most obvious summer piece, but if you find yourself round a campfire at 11pm and the chill starts to set in, shun the dusty blanket from the boot of your car for this sophisticated light layer instead. This contemporary take on the kimono from streetwear icons A Bathing Ape features a back print of Mt Fuji, a mystical snake, spider’s web and its ape head icon, paying homage to post-WWII souvenir jackets brought home by American soldiers.
We’d suggest teaming this piece with the limited edition Presage “Kabuki” – a classical form of Japanese dance-drama, known for its heavily stylised performances and elaborate make-up. The dial and underside of the strap features the custom Japanese colour kakiiro, a rich scarlet-brown that was part of the costume worn by Kabuki masters.
All the dials on the Presage Sharp Edged timepieces also boast a traditional Japanese pattern that is meant to bring growth and success, which were also featured on Kabuki costumes in the Edo period (1603-1867), famed for its appreciation of the arts.
Naked & Famous Denim + Presage Sharp Edged Series Brown
Naked & Famous may be best known for its range of premium Japanese denim, but its line of 100% Japanese cotton Easy Shirts are also worth having on your radar. This maximalist version channels traditional seasonal florals in a contemporary way, woven with intricate gold accents; an instant attention-grabber if ever we saw one.
Such a statement shirt needs a watch to suit, so we’re matchmaking it with this Sharp Edged timepiece in a smoked bamboo brown that exudes old-school craftsmanship with modern styling. Seiko has been going strong for over 100 years now, introducing its first wristwatch in 1913 and creating the world’s first automatic chronograph model equipped with both vertical clutch and column wheel in 1969 — so it knows a thing or two about making a timeless watch.
Edwin + Presage “Shiro” Sharp-Edged Open Heart
As we’ve already covered, a revere collar shirt should be part of every discerning man’s summer wardrobe, but if you’re looking to branch out from archetypal florals then this Shogi vacation shirt by Japanese legacy brand Edwin could be just the update you need. Crafted in a linen/cotton mix, it features a trippy grid design throughout, made even wilder by the sporadic placements of bold Japanese characters.
A shirt like this requires a timepiece that exudes the same psychedelic vibes. Seiko’s Open Heart “Shiro” watch does just that and then some. “Shiro” means gentleman and “Open Heart” refers to its 6R38 movement, the first semi-transparent structured 6R calibre, giving you a glimpse at Seiko’s intricate design philosophy.
Experience the legendary artistry of Japan through the Seiko Sharp Edged series
