Engineered Garments: Form Meets Function

Founded in 1988, Keizo Shimizu’s Nepenthes began its life as an emporium of quality American clothing. Funnelling Japan's fascination with the west into a highly curated retail experience, Shimizu offered the likes of Ralph Lauren, Lacoste, and New Balance trainers – among a wide range of other pieces – he’d personally shipped from the USA to Tokyo.

Sharing this love of western culture and clothing, Daiki Suzuki soon came into the fold at Nepenthes, assisting Shimizu with the store’s buying strategy. The addition of Suzuki lead to the conception of several in-house labels he designed for, including Hoggs, Needles, and the eponymous Nepenthes line.

While each of these labels played an integral part in the early years of Nepenthes, it was only upon creating Engineered Garments that Daiki Suzuki’s vision truly began to crystallize. Building upon his passion for American-made clothing, the label became the designer's brainchild - acting as the meeting point of eastern and western influences and amalgamating the strengths of each to produce clothing with its own unique identity. 

Unparalleled attention to detail forms an integral aspect of the brand’s identity, with the Engineered Garments name coined by a pattern maker in response to the clothing's immense level of detail.

Exclusively utilizing USA-based manufacturing facilities, Engineered Garments is a bridge between heritage American menswear and a contemporary audience. The brand reinterprets a range of styles, including formalwear, military uniforms, and sportswear, creating pieces meant for the modern-day wardrobe, yet with a distinctly vintage sensibility.

While paying tribute to the dress codes of a bygone era, Daiki Suzuki has explored the spectrum of menswear and brought together two opposing styles into a cohesive whole. By being consciously respectful of the characteristics and history of both functional and formal dress, Engineered Garments can embrace the best of both and create collections that blend the two seamlessly.