Gear: Prologue

Avery Trufelman· Host0:00

When Ivy style came to Japan and put teenagers in collared shirts and khakis and madras and cable-knit sweaters, it kicked open the door for American fashion. But what came right on the heels of Ivy League style, as the '60s turned into the '70s, was a style called Heavy Duty. Think like hiking boots and flannel and down vests. Some in Japan called it the outdoor version of Ivy.

Shigeru Kaneko· Guest0:30

Heavy Duty style is a mix of outdoor- Outdoor. ... and Ivy.

Yoichiro Nakamura· Guest0:35

Ivy style.

Avery Trufelman· Host0:35

This is Shigeru Kaneko.

Shigeru Kaneko· Guest0:37

My name is, uh, Kaneko Shigeru.

Avery Trufelman· Host0:39

And with Shigeru, acting as translator is Yoichiro.

Shigeru Kaneko· Guest0:42

Yoichiro Nakamura. I'm from Beams New York office.

Avery Trufelman· Host0:46

Both men work for Beams, a legendary lifestyle clothing retailer with over 100 stores in Japan. And Beams is a perfect example of a Japanese store that started in 1976 doing American collegiate style and merged seamlessly into outdoorsy Heavy Duty.

Shigeru Kaneko· Guest1:04

Beams started from student lifestyle, and I believe outdoor is already a part of students' lifestyle.

Avery Trufelman· Host1:12

Shigeru is a head buyer for Beams and he's been a huge fan of American outdoor companies since before he could buy these clothes in Japan.

Yoichiro Nakamura· Guest1:21

(Music) He started learning these brand, Patagonia or the other outdoor brand, from the magazine or catalog.