Hoodies and sweatshirts—our staple products—are commonly referred to in two ways: as 'parkas (or parkers)' and 'hoodies'. You can find various explanations about their origins with a quick search, so I'll leave that to you. At present, we prefer to call them 'hoodies' and 'sweatshirts'. About ten years into running LOOPWHEELER, discussions frequently arose in our industry about the periods "before" and "after" LOOPWHEELER borns. Since the inception of LOOPWHEELER, I have been driven to elevate the humble sweatshirt to something as dignified as a button-down shirt, suitable even for somewhat formal settings. Before LOOPWHEELER, sweatshirts were largely relegated to sportswear, loungewear, or substitutes for pajamas. Yet, it is also true that there were trendsetters around me who stylishly wore button-down shirts under their sweatshirts, casually flaunting the rolled collars, exuding a cool elegance. Inspired by such sophisticated individuals, I have been committed to designing sweatshirts that could be worn to a restaurant without attracting any negative attention. Hoodies, with their inherent casualness due to the hood, can be challenging to style, and in places like the UK, some gentlemen refrain from wearing them to avoid resembling gang members. However, I find hoodies charming. Here, by 'charming', I mean a mature kind of charm, which is why we design the hoods on LOOPWHEELER hoodies to be slightly smaller—they look cuter and less juvenile this way. Vintage hoodies often feature larger hoods, which are practical for warmth and protection during sports. This functional aspect informs their design. It appears that LOOPWHEELER's philosophy and efforts have resonated, as we were delighted to be selected by AERA STYLE MAGAZINE for their 'Top 5 Ageless Hoodies Suitable for Adults.' Thank you!

by Satoshi Suzuki