For a set-up look or worn on its own. An original brushed jersey top & skirt with a light, breezy feel

ZUTTO's original wear has a few things in common. One of them is achieving both ease of wear and a beautiful silhouette at the same time.

As we head into the hotter summer months, we're introducing a top and skirt made with that quality firmly in mind. These are pieces that stay comfortable even when you're sweating in summer, and thanks to a few well-placed accents, their relaxed shape still manages to make you look stylish.

Making clothes with brushed jersey

This season's original wear uses a fabric called "brushed jersey" (burasshu tenjiku). Brushed jersey refers to a basic plain-knit fabric that has been lightly brushed to raise its nap.

Soft like the pile fabric of a towel, brushed jersey feels good the moment you touch it. Out of all the fabrics available, there must be a reason this one was chosen. So we asked N, who is in charge of ZUTTO's original wear, about the thinking behind this season's clothing project.

The theme we always keep in mind across every season is "a form that looks flattering on people of all different body types." Naturally, everyone has a different height, and different arm and leg lengths, which changes how clothes should fit. Amid all that, what I care about most is creating clothes that look wonderful no matter who wears them.

And since temperatures get very high during spring and summer in Japan, I focused on picking out tops and dresses that can create a look on their own, as well as bottoms that are easy to mix and match.

That's right. As you can tell just by touching it, brushed jersey is a fabric that's soft like a towel. We made the surface so that it has a slightly random loop texture. Brushed jersey is excellent at absorbing moisture, so it stays breathable even when you sweat. The one issue, though, is that because it resembles the pile fabric used in towels, it can end up looking like loungewear.

Left: the outer face, showing the random loops created by brushing. Right: the lining, a simple jersey knit.

That's exactly where we focused our attention: the silhouette. This time we made a top and a skirt, and we paid close attention to creating a feminine silhouette, adding design touches here and there.

The Brushed Jersey Pullover, for example, has a loose dolman sleeve construction up top, but by gathering the fabric with elastic shirring at the center of the hem, we were able to cinch in the volume at the bottom, giving the whole piece a nice contrast of shape. It's easy to balance with either a skirt or pants, and the shirring has the effect of drawing the eye upward.

The Brushed Jersey Skirt has a drawstring at the waist and falls to just below the knee. And can you tell that the hem has a slightly unusual shape? Instead of a straight, horizontal hemline, we made it asymmetrical, with the left and right sides different lengths. This gives the whole skirt a beautiful drape, makes it look more elongated, and covers the calves in a way that's flattering to your figure.

By balancing comfort and shape, we've evolved this piece so that it keeps the outstanding comfort unique to brushed jersey while also holding its own as something you'd wear out and about.
 

Summer is a season when bright colors shine, not just basic ones. So we unified the palette in dark tones, making it easy even for people who usually gravitate toward monotone pieces to try something new. By choosing shades that have both brightness and depth, we gave them a grown-up feel, and they're actually versatile enough to wear not just in summer but into early autumn as well.

As a set-up look, or as separates

The Brushed Jersey Pullover & Skirt can be worn together in matching colors as a set-up, or styled separately—giving you a wide range of ways to wear them. The texture and color of the fabric bring out both comfort and a cool, refreshing impression.

Worn together as a matching set-up

Shoes: ses amis Wing Tip Sneakers WH, Bag: Laundry Bag

Worn as a set-up, it gives the impression of a long dress. You might think navy would look a bit heavy, but it actually shows off the neckline and wrists beautifully. Pair it with white sneakers for an instantly fresh, spring/summer feel.

Shoes: MACI Clog Sandals BLACK・Bangle: STERLING SILVER BANGLE SB32・Hat: HAT rana ※to be released soon

Worn as a set-up, the deep-toned PEACOCK BLUE creates a refined look with a sense of grown-up ease. Brushed jersey also pairs well with materials like silver and leather, so it's fun to accessorize with as well.

The top pairs well with bottoms of any shape

Skirt: ST.SKIRT 28color Skirt・Bag: Basket S/NAVY・Shoes: MUKAVA Inner Wedge Sole Sandals BR・Bangle: STERLING SILVER BANGLE SB32

The convenient thing about the Brush Tenjiku (brushed jersey knit) Pullover is that it pairs easily with bottoms whether they're a softly flared shape or a snugly fitted, tight silhouette. Paired with a denim skirt, it shifts the look from polished to casual.

Bag: Akebi vine basket (bulging-body hora weave, ring handle), inner bag・Shoes: MACI Clog Sandal BLACK・Pants: Chef's Trousers *Coming soon・Bangle: Snake Design Bangle/196

The Brush Tenjiku Pullover also comes in handy for those times when a T-shirt feels too casual. The reason, once again, is the center shirring—its shape adds an accent even to a simple monotone coordinate.

The bottoms have a relaxed feel while still maintaining a clean silhouette

Top: OLIVE Knit Polo Shirt・Shoes: Plain Toe Shoes DANON/Marron patent・Bangle: STERLING SILVER BANGLE SB32・Hat: HAT rana *Coming soon

The Brush Tenjiku Skirt has a relaxed feel, yet it can also be coordinated with more polished pieces like collared tops and leather shoes. The MUSTARD color is bright and pairs easily with beige or white base tones.

Top: ELENI Sleeveless Shirt・Shoes: Leather Sandal W0162 NERO・Bag: [Special order] 3-way Leather Pochette enveloppe GREY・Bangle: Snake Design Bangle/196

We also recommend boldly pairing it with leggings. Matching leggings with the asymmetrical hemline adds a touch of high-fashion mode. In midsummer, pair it with a tank top for an even more elongated, vertical silhouette overall.

Comfortable washing at home

The Brush Tenjiku Pullover and Skirt can be washed in your home washing machine.

・Please use a laundry net when washing. Especially when first using the item, there is a possibility of color transfer or fading, so please wash it separately from other clothing.

・After washing, dry in the shade. *Do not tumble dry.

・When ironing, please use a pressing cloth.

・Repeated wearing and washing may cause slight shrinkage. Please be aware of this in advance.

▽The Brush Tenjiku Pullover is here

▽The Brush Tenjiku Skirt is here