“Fashion + Bicycle”—The fashion brand "narifuri" combines functionality designed for cycling with street-friendly aesthetics.
It's already a well-known brand among cyclists, but this time we spoke with Masahiro Ogata from Hit Union Co., Ltd. about the brand's origins, features of items designed for cycling, a deep love for bicycles, and even details about their original bikes.
Need for Cyclist-Friendly Apparel
“The brand was launched in 2007, rooted in the founder’s life in New York (now retired). Key elements included American vintage clothing, military apparel, and the bicycles he used every day."During that time, the culture of fixed-gear bikes was growing significantly in both America and Japan, leading to the eventual launch of narifuri upon his return to Japan.
"Before establishing the brand, he rode fixed-gear bikes while wearing vintage and military wear, recognizing the necessity for durability, quick-drying properties, and long-lasting durability. Thus, he began creating items around the theme of fashion + bicycle.”
1F for Bicycles, 2F for Clothing Store
At narifuri, the store features a unique style. Not only does it sell apparel for cycling, the 1F acts as a “bicycle shop” under the category “charifuri (チャリフリ),” providing bicycle sales and repairs. Let's learn more about this store.“The current store in Sendagaya, Shibuya, Tokyo, opened in 2017, but until 2011, the store was located in Ebisu. During that time, the first floor featured charifuri for bicycles, while the second floor housed narifuri for clothing.
"It's common for customers to bring their bicycles into the store, making this style quite preferable. There is also a store in Nagoya, operating under the same model.”
The CORE Line Continually Refined for Cyclists
narifuri's items include the “CORE” line, specifically designed with cycling features and continuously refined, and the “URBAN” line, which incorporates trends and seasonal releases, as well as the “FIELD” line for camping and outdoor activities. This time, let’s take a closer look at the CORE items.“Among the standard items, I'd like to introduce the 'Pullover Jacket.' Its distinctive feature is the front zipper. When riding a bicycle, leaning forward can create stress from a central zipper, so this design features two zippers on the sides to alleviate that issue. One side is a full zip, while the other is a half zip pullover style for versatile wear.
"Additionally, more zippers allow significant airflow while cycling, and ventilation from the zippers located under the arms enhances comfort during active rides.
"The material used is a lightweight ripstop called 'GELANOTS,' which is windproof, water-repellent, and breathable. This ripstop material also has a focus on military wear elements and must be somewhat resistant to tearing given its use in cycling.
"Other features include a well-fitting collar when in cycling posture, sleeves designed to prevent strain, and materials all tailored specifically for cyclists, showcasing narifuri’s commitment to this audience.”
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