The themes of this issue are "manufacturing" and "problem solving by fashion designers." We will talk about how "the functionality desired for the same item will differ depending on the wearer and their purpose, and the design must be ingenious to suit," and about the online-only item "Lab Coat," which embodies this idea.

When you hear the term " Lab Coat," you probably think of researchers, medical professionals, and science teachers, or that it sounds cool. At the very least, you probably imagine it as a slightly special piece of clothing. This is an item that people aspire to wear, and the idea of ​​"wearing it when working at yoshiokubo's Laboratory - Problem Solving Lab" led to the creation of the "Lab Coat," which is now sold exclusively online.

Of course, the commonly worn white coats are not worn as a symbol of coolness or authority, but as proof that they are always kept clean, or to make it easy to spot blood or chemical splatters.

If that's the case, then why do we wear white coats in the "Problem Solving Lab"? When we thought about it, the first item that caught our eye was an apron, an item that also required functionality in our daily lives.

When sewing or cutting, the edge of the fabric or table often presses hard against the solar plexus, and if this continues for a long time, the color of the fabric may transfer to the clothes you are wearing, or the clothes may be damaged by rubbing. In particular, those who cut often find that the area around the solar plexus of their clothes becomes very dirty. To prevent this, they always wear an apron.

So, we had an idea: "Since we've opened a laboratory - Problem Solving Lab, why not turn the apron into a white coat?" And so we created the prototype for the "Lab Coat," which is now being sold exclusively online.

In preparation for sale, we have revised some aspects of the garment, such as the armhole pattern and material, sleeve and collar design, and sizing, so we would like to introduce them here. Armhole pattern that prevents slight stress caused by movement

Researchers, medical professionals, and other people who typically wear white coats rarely reach for things that are placed high up or lean over to reach for things that are placed across a large table.

Meanwhile, in our workplace, we often have to make large movements like that. When wearing a regular white coat, the coat and the clothes underneath move around with every movement, which can be surprisingly stressful. We came up with this armhole pattern to solve that problem.

Armholes are usually sewn like a loop, but yoshiokubo's Lab Coat has a "Z" pattern as shown in the photo, so whether you raise your hand or stretch your arm out in front of you, your movement will not be restricted and the clothing will not be pulled as you move. However, this pattern requires a fairly high level of sewing ability, and all of the staff at yoshiokubo had a hard time sewing on a sewing machine when making the prototypes. We hope to eventually sell the patterns, so if you're good at sewing, we encourage you to give it a try.

A color suitable for everyday use, and an excellent material that will keep you looking sharp forever

Regular white coats are required to be "white" to ensure cleanliness and to quickly detect dirt, but at our workplace, there is the exact opposite need: to make sure that dirt and scratches that occur during sewing and cutting are not noticeable.

That's why yoshiokubo's Lab Coat is matte black and made from durable fabric that keeps its shape well. It's incredibly light, wrinkle-free, and always looks sharp. It's also perfect for everyday wear. "They look cute when rolled up" and the sleeves don't fall down!

I've always thought that rolling up oversized cuffs is cute, but some people seem to think that it's annoying when the rolled up sleeves gradually fall down.

That's why we've put a little extra thought into the sleeve design. By tapering the sleeves from the shoulders to the wrists, we've prevented the stress of the sleeves gradually falling down. The Lab Coat we're selling this time looks cuter with the sleeves rolled up, so we hope you'll roll them up when you wear it. The collar design is an icon of yoshiokubo

Not only for this item, but for all yoshiokubo jackets, I am very particular about the design of the collar (upper collar) and lapel (lower collar).

To begin with, if you're wondering "Why are the collars of jackets and coats designed like this?", it's because they are meant to be stood up when it's cold. Therefore, the collar and lapel design must look cool when the collar is stood up.

With this in mind, we created a design that looks clean, modern, and smart when the collar is turned up. This has become a yoshiokubo icon. A pocket designed for people who don't want to carry a bag

Personally, I'm the type of person who doesn't want to carry a bag at all, so I want my outerwear to have as sturdy pockets as possible! In other words, "pockets that can serve as a bag."

This Lab Coat has two large ones on each side and one small one with a zipper.

It's hard to explain the larger one, but as you can see from the photo, the flap has been specially designed to prevent items from falling out. However, if you do happen to drop something like keys or cards, you can store them in the zippered pocket. One size fits all so that anyone can wear it with the silhouette they are aiming for

Lastly, when designing this piece, one of the biggest concerns I had was, "If I were to create a one-size-fits-all garment that everyone can wear and love, what would the sizing be?" I also wondered, "Do I really need that much sizing for a coat in the first place?"

So we decided on raglan sleeves for the shoulders. This way, the sleeves would be continuous from the shoulders to the arms, and would fit nicely along the shoulder line of the wearer, giving the oversized look we were aiming for.

Although unisex and one-size-fits-all clothing is becoming more common, some people still say it's difficult to find something that fits them perfectly. In particular, petite people say that clothes are too oversized and end up looking baggy, while taller people say that clothes are too snug and lose the appeal of being oversized.

In this context, I think this Lab Coat, with its raglan sleeves and oversized fit, is an ideal piece because "the shoulder position is just right, and rolling up the sleeves gives it the look you're aiming for," and "you can create a casual look by rolling up the sleeves without having to worry about shoulder width."

I would be happy if this item becomes "a one-of-a-kind piece of clothing that you will love and want to wear for a long time."

You can check out the detailed size and photos of the " Lab Coat " here.