SUBCULTURE

Japan’s Fred Perry Shirt

December 2021

We caught up with the shop managers at some our Japanese Fred Perry shops to find out what the Fred Perry Shirt means to them, how they like to style it, and who will be lucky enough to receive a Fred Perry Shirt from them this Christmas.

Mao Inaba, Fred Perry Lumine Shinjuku

Can you remember your first Fred Perry shirt?

Of course! It was a G12 in the black and champagne colourway. It’s still my favourite colourway to this day.

How do you style your Fred Perry shirt?

I love to wear it with the Fred Perry Fishtail Parka. A true winter staple. I style that with a Fred Perry shirt and it really conjures up images of UK culture for me.

Who will you be gifting the Fred Perry shirt to this festive season?

My love of Fred Perry and UK music and subcultures actually comes from my mum. She’s a big football fan so I’d pick out the Maroon/Ice/White shirt to match with her team West Ham United’s colours.

Ryo Mimura, Fred Perry Shibuya Parco

What’s your favourite colourway of the Fred Perry shirt?

I love The M12 in Chocolate / Ice /Ice. It really brings out the colour of my tattoos. The first Fred Perry shirt I ever had, however, was the M12 in Black /Champagne /Champagne.

How do you style your Fred Perry shirt?

I like the clean-cut look you get when styling a polo shirt with smart or leather trousers. But I also like to match with a pair of tracksuit bottoms for something more relaxed and sporty. That’s the beauty of the Fred Perry shirt. It’s so versatile and can be taken in different directions.

Who will you be gifting the Fred Perry shirt to this festive season?

I have a friend who loves Fred Perry. If I was picking out a gift, I’d choose the M12 shirt in Christmassy colours like Tartan Green / Ice / Red. It would add some festive spice to their Christmas!

Fumiya Sato, Fred Perry Tokyo

What’s your favourite colourway of the Fred Perry shirt?

There’s two colourways – I find it really difficult to choose between. There’s the Black / Champagne / Champagne colourway and the Maroon / White / Ice. Black / Champagne / Champagne is a rockstar colourway that stays in style for every generation. A lot of my fashion inspiration comes from A$AP NAST, and when I saw him wearing the colourway in 2015, I loved it even more. I’m also into Maroon / White / Ice because I’m generally always in black trousers. The maroon plays off the black really well and when you wear it with a jacket, it’s playful without standing out too much.

How do you style your Fred Perry shirt?

I’m a traditionalist. I match it with a pair of smart trousers and loafers. For me, a fitted Fred Perry shirt is the best way to rock that style.

Who will you be gifting the Fred Perry shirt to this festive season?

I’m going to give my two best friends an M12 each. I’ll take them to the shop so they can pick out their favourite colourway and the three of us can rock the town together in M12’s.

Ikumi Mibu, Fred Perry Tokyo

Can you remember your first Fred Perry shirt?

Sure! It was an M12 in the black and champagne colourway.

What’s your favourite colourway of the Fred Perry shirt?

I love the Brighton/Ice/French Navy. It takes me back to my time living in Brighton and going to the beach all the time.

How do you style your Fred Perry shirt?

I am big into noughties Y2K fashion and punk, so I style a tight-fitting polo shirt with a short skirt, platform boots, and a chunky necklace.

Who will you be gifting the Fred Perry shirt to this festive season?

I’d like to get something for my mum. She tends to wear a lot of dark clothes so I’d get her the White/ Ice / Maroon shirt to add a splash of colour.

Shunsuke Saeki, Fred Perry Joinus Yokohama

Can you remember your first Fred Perry shirt?

Mine was an M12 in Black / Champagne / Champagne. Not because it was in vogue—I just liked the old-school vibe of it. It was kind of like wearing a uniform. I stood a little taller when wearing it and it’s still my favourite colourway of it.

How do you style your Fred Perry shirt?

I’m not a fan of brash colours so I try to keep things a little more subdued. My outfits probably never go over two or three colours.

Who will you be gifting the Fred Perry shirt to this festive season?

My friends! It’ll be fun to get together and all be wearing the Black/ Champagne/ Champagne M12.