The Resurgence of a Phantom American Brand in Japan: What Makes the "Christy Vest" from Rocky Mountain Featherbed Special?

Founded in the late 1960s in Wyoming, USA, "Rocky Mountain Featherbed" features a signature leather western yoke icon and is highly regarded among cowboys for its down wear.
 
However, the brand disappeared in the 1980s. It wasn't until 2005 when Japan's 35summers revived it, leading to its rising popularity starting from Japan and expanding worldwide, including its home country of America.
 
To shed light on the process behind the brand’s revival and the attention to its products, I spoke with one of the key figures in the revival, Jun Nobuoka from 35summers.

Recreating from Vintage Collections

Although the brand disappeared in the 1980s, it was revived in 2005 by Kinji Teramoto, a leading vintage collector and the representative of 35summers. While it has now become one of the coveted outdoor brands, Nobuoka shared the challenges faced since the brand's revival.

"Regarding 'Rocky Mountain Featherbed,' the founder did not leave any records, so we had zero information. By the 1990s, it completely vanished, so it was presumed that the brand ended in the 1980s.
 
"In order to recreate the brand, we had to rely solely on examining actual vintage items. Our representative, Kinji Teramoto, who is both an importer and collector, used his longstanding collection as the basis for samples."
 

By dissecting a catalog of ski goods imported for wholesale in Japan, along with studying Teramoto’s collection, the first product completed in 2005 was a collaboration with "United Arrows" and "BerBerJin."
 

"Honestly, many buyers at the time were not aware of it. Looking back at the product we rushed to create in 2005, it’s quite embarrassing (laughs). It started in 2005 and was positioned as a new brand in Japan. However, it was precisely because of the market’s nature that we could launch something new."

Details Filled with Commitment to Fabrics & Leather Yoke

A turning point for gaining recognition in the market came in 2007 when they developed the same 70D (denier) nylon taffeta fabric currently used for the body. Nobuoka continued,
 
"At that time, a staff member with a background in nylon production joined 35summers, and we started developing original nylon fabric. Our original nylon was created after extensive research on vintage materials and numerous trials to achieve the present 70D nylon taffeta.
 
"By increasing the number of yarns in comparison to commonly used nylon, we achieved a dense structure that prevents down from escaping. Normally, nylon is coated, but down wear needs breathability, and coating can lead to loss of permeability. Therefore, we utilized a silicone processing method that smooths the surface using pressure and heat.

"Interestingly, during the period we were developing this nylon, extremely thin and shiny nylon used by popular brands like 'Duvetica' and 'Moncler' was in vogue. Consequently, mid-weight nylon like 70D had disappeared from the fabric suppliers. We faced various challenges as we took a direction contrary to the trends at that time."
 
This 70D nylon taffeta is highly dense and retains down well without coating, while maintaining high breathability, making it perfect for down materials that need to hold air. Coated nylon loses breathability, resulting in the down filling not expanding.
 
There are many other aspects we are meticulous about, but particularly noteworthy is the symbolic leather yoke.

"In the beginning phase of our project, we aimed to create a finish for the leather that resembled vegetable-tanned leather without using chrome tanning to achieve a certain atmosphere. However, we received complaints that this leather left fingerprint-like marks when touched by customers and that it could get damaged under fluorescent light. Therefore, we experimented with leather that was tanned using a good balance of both chrome and tannin.

"This single-piece leather yoke was affectionately known as 'Wannappa (ワンナッパ)' in our home country. However, due to the fabric's limitations, we had to utilize it quite lavishly, which also increased costs. We use clawed buttons that are fixed and do not rotate to prevent down leakage, showcasing our commitment to the details."

Looking Ahead to Expanding into Europe

This season marks a significant milestone, as it is the 50th anniversary since the brand's foundation. Special features such as the 50th anniversary label on all items for the fall/winter 2024 collection have received favorable responses.

"Actually, in addition to the milestone for 'Rocky Mountain Featherbed,' our company is also celebrating its 35th anniversary, so we are combining products commemorating the brand's 50th anniversary with items celebrating our company's 35th anniversary (laughs)."
 

Finally, when I asked Nobuoka about future developments, he responded:
 
"Currently, not only in Japan but also in our home country of America and Europe, we have been receiving especially positive feedback. On the official Rocky Mountain Featherbed website, we offer free international shipping, and orders from overseas customers now account for over 80% of our total. That's why we are considering expanding overseas to give international customers more opportunities to see our products in person.
 
"However, retail rules and common practices vary by country, which presents numerous challenges. For instance, the cost perception might change depending on whether we export Japanese-made products or source the same materials locally for production. Many issues remain unresolved.
 
"We must take action so that people around the world can get to know 'Rocky Mountain Featherbed."
 
 
Born in America and revived in Japan, "Rocky Mountain Featherbed" is already seeing a growing number of orders from abroad. If a base is established overseas, it is only natural for the brand to become a topic of conversation internationally. The items, rich in detail, being reproduced in Japan are likely to gain explosive popularity overseas sooner rather than later.