The story of ZUTTO's jacquard blouse, a special piece to add to your wardrobe

When you hear the phrase "clothing you can wear for years to come," what comes to mind?

A Basque shirt that never gets worn out no matter how much you wear and wash it. A trench coat that can be repaired again and again and worn for decades. A top that serves you well throughout the year.

In pursuit of comfortable clothing that can be worn for years, ZUTTO set out this time to create a blouse blending cotton and linen—one meant to be worn across spring, summer, and autumn, and to bring a little something special to your everyday feeling.

This time, through an interview with the ZUTTO staff member involved in planning this product, we'll introduce all the appeal and attention to detail packed into it.

I'd say it comes down to being a "vintage-like item that never grows tiring" and having "strong, supple fabric." Trends are always changing, but even so, we aimed to create something that fits in easily and never goes out of style—the kind of piece you might find tucked away in the corner of a vintage shop. We used Belgian linen, which has a beautiful sheen and excellent durability, giving the fabric just the right amount of crispness and resilience, along with lasting durability.

Yes. This time we chose smoky pastel colors. They're flattering to the face and easy to coordinate with, so I think even those who usually wear more subdued, chic colors will find them easy to pick up. They also blend well with brown and black—colors that often serve as the main tone for bags and shoes, not just clothing.

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​A blouse made with the aim of shining on, like vintage pieces, even as time passes. Next, let's go visit the weaving mill that produced the fabric for this project.

Yes, in our search for a vintage feel, we arrived at this loom, belonging to a weaving mill known for its high level of technical skill and design sensibility, trusted by many designers. It's a veteran, low-speed loom that has been in use since long ago.

This time we used a rare jacquard fabric with a botanical pattern that would be difficult to weave without a low-speed loom like this one. Though we call it a botanical pattern, it isn't a clear, distinct design, so it's easy to pair with other clothing and gives off a wholesome impression.

For the weft, we used an extremely fine [80/1 cotton] thread. As it is, the thread is too thin to catch properly on the loom, so we wrap it together with a water-soluble vinylon material to thicken it before weaving, then dissolve the vinylon away after the fabric is complete.

Yes, when it first reaches our customers, they'll feel a crisp firmness, but as they wash it, it becomes noticeably softer and settles into a gentle, comfortable feel.

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Actually, this loom retired shortly after weaving the fabric for ZUTTO's jacquard blouse this time. This jacquard fabric turned out to be its very last.

Yes, we prepared three types so it could be used in a variety of scenes. For example, summers in Japan have been getting longer and longer in recent years. We aimed for a blouse that looks effortlessly put-together when simply paired with plain bottoms. We also paid close attention to the details so it can be layered as an inner piece during the season when mornings and evenings turn cool.

We paid particular attention to the design of the hem so that it would pair well with simple bottoms. I'll go into more detail later, but for example, we tucked the hem inward to create a cocoon shape, and added slits so it can be worn either tucked in or out. We considered the wearer, their style, and the scene in which it would be worn.

That's right. We were careful to make sure the neckline design, while simple, wouldn't look plain or lacking. By adding a pleated, tuck-like detail, it also works well as an inner layer under a cardigan or when wearing a stole, making it easy to incorporate into layered looks.

We gave the sleeves and body a relaxed, roomy cut. Dolman-sleeve shirts have a relaxed feel while still looking feminine and lovely, don't they? Since the sleeves and body are roomy, we pinched in the back hem to reduce bulk there, creating a cocoon-shaped silhouette.

We had in mind an easy-to-wear blouse that goes with any kind of bottoms.

To create a delicate, gentle impression, we kept the pin tucks at the chest minimal while still giving the design some variation. There's one more detail we paid attention to—the top two buttonholes are actually just decorative.

We had vintage shirts in mind. Dress shirts, considered the epitome of elegance in the 19th century, were made from precious fabric, and a single shirt was apparently quite expensive. Because of this, it seems people used detachable collars, which could be swapped out and washed separately, since the collar was the part most prone to getting dirty. To evoke the buttonholes that once held those detachable collars in place, we left the trace of those buttonholes as a design element this time.

Yes, the overall fit is relaxed, so it should also work well as an outer layer in autumn!

For this long-sleeve blouse, we adopted a skipper collar shape so it wouldn't come across as too sweet. Since we kept the neckline clean and simple, we added gathers at the cuffs to mix a bit of sweetness with a sharper edge. The string at the chest can be left hanging or tied, whichever you prefer.

In summer, you can wear it clean and simple with the skipper collar showing, and once it starts to cool down, you could wear it under a cardigan and let the ribbon detail peek out.

We added a slit and adjusted the length so it can also be tucked into bottoms, depending on the balance of the outfit.

Of course, the length is also adjusted so it can be worn untucked as is!

That's right, of the three styles, this is the cleanest, simplest design. We hope you'll enjoy the wholesome, healthy feel of the botanical pattern.

We paid careful attention to the design at the chest on this blouse as well. We added fine pintucks and lace at the collar, and this one, too, can be layered even after summer ends!

A cardigan is of course a great match. As it gets cooler, you'll have more chances to wear thin crew-neck knits, and layering this underneath means the lace peeks out delicately at the crew neckline.

Adding a pop of color like this brightens up your complexion, so it's a styling approach we'd recommend.

Of course, in summer it's lovely worn on its own. We designed the length to hit right around the waistband, so it pairs easily with wide pants or skirts. *Fit may vary depending on the individual.

Blouse: Cotton-Linen Jacquard Sleeveless Blouse

Cardigan: W1607 30G 3/4 SLEEVES Cardigan (SILVER)

Bag: Leather Bag frame flat graine (L.GRAY)

Sandals: Strap Sandals BLACK

Hat: Rapin Felt Hat (charcoal/cream)

Sweater: SOFT WOOL Crew Neck Sweater (L.GREY)

Blouse: Cotton-Linen Jacquard Sleeveless Blouse (LAVENDER)

Skirt: G5126 ST.SKIRT WA Denim Skirt

Shoes: Sabot TEXAS 50 SWEDE (TAUPE)

I think it works well to keep in mind a gradation within the same color family. White, of course, goes with almost anything, but for example, PINK BEIGE pairs nicely with brown, and LAVENDER with gray or navy. We really hope grown women will enjoy having fun with color in their clothing. It would make us happy if this could bring a bit more joy to your everyday process of choosing what to wear.

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This time, we interviewed the staff member in charge of planning ZUTTO's clothing line about the thought and care that went into it. Because we want people to wear these pieces for a long time and love them, we want each person to find the one blouse that's truly their own. You can really feel that intention packed into these blouses.

When washing
 

When washing, place the item in a laundry net and wash on a gentle, low-flow cycle. To preserve the vintage feel, we recommend enjoying the slightly worn, washed texture. After washing, reshape the garment and hang it to dry in the shade. If ironing, iron from the reverse side as much as possible so as not to flatten the texture on the surface.

 
When storing

When putting things away for a seasonal changeover, please make sure to thoroughly remove any dirt left in the fibers before storing. Especially with light-colored blouses, any remaining dirt can cause yellowing, so we recommend hand-washing areas like the neckline before putting the item in the washing machine.

▼In search of things worth loving for years to come