A , or a souvenir jacket, is a type of blouse jacket dating from the end of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. It is inspired by baseball jackets, and it uses

embroidery Embroidery is the craft of decorating fabric or other materials using a needle to apply thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. In modern days, embroidery is usually seen on c ...

silk Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the coc ...

and Japanese influences.

History

After the end of the

, the remnants of the parachute capes were used by the American soldiers to create light jackets similar to teddy and varsity jackets and others inspired by the American

universities A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

. Upon leaving, they were decorated with motifs coming from the military inspiration, and then diversified with a mélange of Japanese and American culture, approximating the style to the tattoo technique. A little after, the ''sukaman'' (portmanteau of Yokosuka-Mambo) fashion movement retook certain elements of civil style with military style of the military base of

Yokosuka is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city has a population of 409,478, and a population density of . The total area is . Yokosuka is the 11th most populous city in the Greater Tokyo Area, and the 12th in the Kantō region. The city ...

: the youths of this movement had one-button suits made by local

tailors A tailor is a person who makes or alters clothing, particularly in men's clothing. The Oxford English Dictionary dates the term to the thirteenth century. History Although clothing construction goes back to prehistory, there is evidence of ...

and sometimes went so far as to imitating American haircuts. They particularly appreciated souvenir jackets and gave them the name ''sukajan'' (from "Yokosuka jumpers"). This type of jacket ended up being marketed in the Yokosuka boutiques, for the passing sailors. The film ''

Pigs and Battleships The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus '' Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus s ...

'' popularized the sukajan in the entire country and these jackets became the Japanese equivalent of greaser fashion for the "bad boys". Afterwards, this type of jacket was transformed into a local classic: a souvenir object for tourists or a basic wardrobe element. In the 2010s, it was reinterpreted by fashion and various European designers who seized it to integrate it into their

ready-to-wear Ready-to-wear (or ''prêt-à-porter''; abbreviated RTW; "off-the-rack" or "off-the-peg" in casual use) is the term for ready-made garments, sold in finished condition in standardized sizes, as distinct from made-to-measure or bespoke clothing ...

collections. Sometimes close to the silk bombers, adorned with tiger, snake or dragon motifs, the jacket paradoxically keeps the (visual) softness of the silk against the virile image of those who wear them. is another kind of sukajan, based on a military jacket such as the MA-1.Vietjan is adorned with maps of Vietnam as well as other motifs.

References

Sources

* * {{Cite book, title=Ametora: How Japan Saved American Style , first=W. David , last=Marx , publisher=Basic Books, year=2015, isbn=9780465073870 , id=WDM2015 Embroidery Silk Tops (clothing) Japanese upper-body garments Pages with unreviewed translations

History

See also

References

Sources