When thinking of the classic "P-COAT," many might picture "FIDELITY." As a brand supplying P-COAT and the "CPO JACKET" to the US NAVY, it is famous not only in its home country, America, but also in Japan.
This time, we had the opportunity to talk with Daichi Haga, MD of the sales department at Sanmarino Ltd., who holds the FIDELITY brand, about the history of the brand and its contemporary items.
Rising to Recognition for High Quality, Becoming a Supplier to the US NAVY
“FIDELITY was founded in 1941 by brothers GERALD and STEWART in Boston, Massachusetts, producing wool outerwear."Due to the high quality and fair pricing of FIDELITY's products, it quickly gained a reputation and became a supplier of outerwear to the US NAVY.”
Deep Dive into the Representative "P-COAT"
Here, let's introduce FIDELITY's representative piece, the P-COAT. We will explore how it incorporates details from the 1940s while being updated for modern times.“There are several types of P-COATS, but the most authentic one is called the '10-button,' featuring 10 anchor-marked buttons. This still remains a representative item of the brand today.
"During its time supplying the US NAVY, it needed to be built tough for military use. Thus, the wool fabric was dense, heavy, and thick.
"Once the P-COAT became a fashion item, the wool has been made lighter, and the collar and silhouette have been updated to a more sophisticated modern version while still maintaining some features and details from the past. The chin strap at the collar for warmth and wind resistance, as well as the stitched reinforcement at the collar underside are classic elements that remain in FIDELITY's contemporary P-COAT.”
CPO JACKET: An Outer Garment from FIDELITY
What FIDELITY supplied to the US NAVY is not only the P-COAT but also the CPO JACKET, which is another representative item. CPO stands for "CHIEF PETTY OFFICER," referring to a senior petty officer in the US NAVY.The CPO JACKET, which is also referred to as "CPO SHIRTS," has a history of being used as both a shirt and an outer garment. Let's look at how it has been updated in contemporary FIDELITY offerings.
“The original CPO JACKET had a tight silhouette and was more akin to a heavy wool shirt than an outer garment. However, in modern fashion, I believe it's better to finish it as an outer piece, so we widened the silhouette and added side hand warmer pockets.
"Additionally, during the time it was supplied to the US NAVY, it had smaller anchor buttons than the P-COAT. Now, to enhance versatility in coordination, we've changed them to simpler buttons.”
A Modern Staple: "MILITARY TWILL CARGO PANTS"
Having seen items rooted in the US NAVY supplier background, now let's introduce items that reflect the current offerings from FIDELITY.Along with outerwear, FIDELITY has a total range of products including innerwear and pants. Let's take a look at the "MILITARY TWILL CARGO PANTS."
“The MILITARY TWILL CARGO PANTS is a popular item in recent years. It draws design inspiration from the French army's 'M47 pants,' known as a 'Euro Military' classic, featuring herringbone fabric with a wider, straight silhouette.
"We started making this item in 2021, and it has undergone minor changes including lighter materials and switching from a button fly to a zipper fly, becoming a staple item today.
"Another feature worth noting is its unique design from FIDELITY: the hip pockets can be accessed from above the flap, making them double-structured.”
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