Comfort you'll want to choose even in autumn and winter. New additions to ao's Nameraka Tenjiku series include a specially ordered color of the banana spats and a turtleneck.

As autumn deepens and the air grows drier, and as we start layering more clothes, we find ourselves paying special attention to garments that feel "gentle against the skin" and are "comfortable to wear." What we'd like to recommend for this season is the "Nameraka Tenjiku series," a signature line from ao, a factory brand from Niigata that specializes in gauze wear. When we introduced it at our spring pre-order event, it was wonderfully well received, and thanks to the voices of our customers at that time, we've now prepared new items for autumn and winter.

This time, it's a regular sale, so items will be shipped right after your order. We're also introducing a new turtleneck, which even our staff members who usually hesitate over winter clothing choices—wanting to wear wool sweaters but finding them too itchy against their skin—have found reassuring, with some saying they'd like to collect it in multiple colors.

Nameraka Tenjiku Turtleneck (Hakuji)

We also had ao create a specially ordered color of the banana spats, which was the No. 1 best-seller at our spring pre-order event. This item was passionately recommended by ao's own staff as one of their personal favorites, and they suggest it not only paired with skirts but also layered over other bottoms.

Nameraka Tenjiku Banana Spats (Special Order Ginnezu)

Why Choose the Nameraka Tenjiku Series for Autumn and Winter

"This is exactly the season I'd recommend it for!" says staff member T, who has sensitive skin.

The Nameraka Tenjiku series uses fabric knitted from ultra-fine threads of "Supima cotton," a premium cotton sometimes called "the cashmere of cotton," with two thin layers of fabric joined into one. The resulting double-layered gauze traps air, giving it both warmth retention and breathability, while the smooth texture unique to Supima cotton is another of its appealing qualities.

It also has excellent moisture absorption, so it soaks up sweat, making it convenient during a season like now, when temperature swings are frequent. If you dress for the morning chill but end up sweating during the day, the Nameraka Tenjiku series keeps you warm in the morning and evening while its breathability lets you stay comfortable through the day without straining.

To preserve the natural softness of gauze, ao avoids processing the fabric even though its high shrinkage rate (meaning it shrinks easily) makes it difficult to handle. Instead, by making use of their own in-house factory, they adjust each step of the process, and this is how their many gauze wear items have come to be. 

Read our BRAND STORY feature on ao's approach to clothes-making here >>

The inner side uses Supima cotton, while the outer side uses a Supima slub yarn. The deliberate use of uneven slub yarn creates texture, and combined with the shrinkage, it produces this kind of diagonal crepe-like grain.

The Newly Offered Turtleneck Is a Popular Item in the Series

Last time, we mainly introduced the cardigan, pullover, and a specially ordered long T-shirt, but this time we've added the turtleneck, which makes full use of the gauze's wonderful feel against the skin. According to ao, it's one of the especially popular items in the Nameraka Tenjiku series.

Chigusa

Koiro

When people think of turtlenecks, these are probably the concerns that come to mind:

・It fits so snugly that you become conscious of your body's shape

・The fabric around the neck feels rough or restrictive

ao's Nameraka Tenjiku Turtleneck solves both of these concerns, while also adding new, practical features.

First, the concern about being conscious of your body's shape is solved by the soft texture unique to gauze and a design with just a touch of ease. It has a silhouette that's easy to wear both as a layering piece and on its own.

Chigusa

Koiro

As for the fabric around the neck, the moisturizing, softly fluffy texture unique to the Nameraka Tenjiku series makes it more than just unnoticeable—it actually feels comfortable to wear. Another key feature of ao's Nameraka Tenjiku Turtleneck is the construction of the neck area, which has a small button at the back.

Usuiro

This button is for adjusting the neckline: when it's cold and you want the neck to fit snugly, you can fasten it, and when you undo it, the fabric falls loosely for a more relaxed fit. On sunny days or indoors when you get a bit warm, undoing the button lets air flow through more easily, so you can adjust it to suit the moment.

For all these reasons, having one of these on hand comes in especially handy during this season, when it's hard to regulate your temperature.

We selected seven colors in total: four light shades and three dark shades. The mood changes completely depending on the color. Thanks to its versatility, some customers own several.

From left: Hakuji, Wakame, Chigusa, Usuiro

(From left) Fukaake, Koiiro, Miruai

Fukaake

The popular Banana Spats now come in a specially ordered color, and the cardigan gets a new color too

The Nameraka Tenjiku Banana Spats, which were the most popular item at the spring order event and had to be restocked several times during the event, now come in a specially ordered Ginnezu (silver gray) in addition to the original colors.

Not just for going out—in autumn and winter, you can also layer them under a roomwear one-piece.

This pair, worn for three years, was previously borrowed from a staff member at ao—the Nameraka Tenjiku Banana Spats (Sumiiro).

She wears them year-round regardless of season, mainly under one-pieces, but says that in winter, wearing long pants over the Banana Spats provides great warmth. For pants that feel a bit stiff, she even wears the Banana Spats simply to make the inside feel smoother against her skin.

The darts follow the shape of the legs, creating a slightly curved silhouette.

Cotton spats often bring to mind an image of stretching out around the knees, but the Banana Spats are designed to narrow toward the ankle, so from the knee down they stay comfortably snug all day without any discomfort.

Layering them under bottoms and choosing a fabric that feels good against the skin—this is such a fitting way to use ao's clothing, known for its comfortable texture and fit.

The color lineup, from left, features three colors: the specially ordered Ginnezu, Sumiiro, and Shironezu.

In addition, the standard cardigan, available year-round, now comes with a new color, "Benikakenezu."

Benikakenezu

Wearing size M, 162cm tall

This is a calm, muted pink with a grown-up charm. The cardigan is kept simple, without excessive design elements, making it easy to mix and match, with shell buttons lined up along the front.

Tekkon

The season is coming when the specially ordered long-sleeve T-shirt comes into its own

【Special Order】Nameraka Tenjiku Long T-Shirt (White, L), height 162cm

This specially ordered T-shirt is based on ao's standard three-quarter-sleeve T-shirt, with the sleeve length changed to a longer, ten-tenths-sleeve style. It all started when a ZUTTO staff member turned out to be a fan of the Nameraka Tenjiku series. Its charm lies in its smooth, silky texture and lightness, and it's recommended not only worn on its own but also as an inner layer under sweaters or sweatshirts.

For those who want a compact fit or plan to mainly wear it as an inner layer, we recommend size M. (White M, height 162cm)

Size L offers an easy fit whether worn as an inner layer or on its own. (White L, height 162cm)

It comes in two easy-to-choose standard colors, white and black, with sizes M and L available.

This is a series we'd love for you to try if you believe that clothes touching your skin should feel comfortable. Please consider adding it to your autumn and winter wardrobe.

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