Making the most of a fabric that designers themselves have fallen for. An original T-shirt for a light, easy summer

When choosing clothes, everyone has their own priorities. It might be the silhouette that changes the whole impression of an outfit, or the feel of the fabric against your skin. What decides these things is the fabric itself. You can never have too many basic pieces, but having just one item with a slightly more distinctive fabric can really expand the range of your styling.

This time, the fabric we chose for our ZUTTO original wear is "Cosmorama," a fabric with many fans among top designers around the world. Using this high-quality fabric, we've created a dressy ZUTTO original T-shirt that lets you spend the hot summer in comfort.

Cosmorama, a fabric loved around the world

The Cosmorama we chose this time is a signature material of Ono Meriyasu, a long-established cut-and-sew manufacturer. To the touch, it has a smoothness just like silk, and its glossy surface shows subtly different expressions depending on the light—hardly believable for something that is 100% cotton. Its smooth, low-fuzz texture is, without exaggeration, something that has overturned conventional ideas about cotton T-shirts.

Light and comfortable, a smoothness you can feel on your skin

Cotton is said to be of higher quality the longer its fibers, and the material used in Cosmorama is India's finest extra-long-staple cotton, carefully selected from among the world's finest cotton. The yarn is a tightly twisted yarn (a yarn given a strong twist) made using Ono Meriyasu's own special processing technique.

Ono Meriyasu, the manufacturer, is a long-established cut-and-sew maker founded in 1924 (Taisho 13). It has its own knitting factory in Sawara, Katori City, Chiba Prefecture—an area with a historic townscape sometimes called "Little Edo"—and, working in coordination with its sales office in Tokyo, handles everything from yarn winding to the knitting of circular-knit fabric. At the time of its founding, the Kansai region was the center of the textile industry, so there wasn't even a company in Tokyo that manufactured knitting machines. Even so, in order to knit high-quality fabric free of knitting flaws and reliably meet growing demand, the company has continued, in earnest, to design and manufacture its own circular knitting machines.

The smooth surface unique to Cosmorama seems to glide across the skin. The drape that comes from its fluid drop lends the fabric an air of elegance. Born from years of research and accumulated technique, it's a texture so fine that it's easy to understand why top designers—professionals of clothing—have fallen for it.

Patented fastening-free technology

Ono Meriyasu's corporate philosophy is "genuine manufacturing that brings surprise, emotion, and a sense of happiness to people's hearts." The company continues to propose fabrics with gentleness and warmth to the world. It was under this philosophy that the patented material Cosmorama was born.

Thin cotton fabrics are prone to static electricity and to their surfaces clinging together due to surface fuzz. Ono Meriyasu solved this "fastening phenomenon" through its own unique yarn-making process, without using any chemicals whatsoever. As a result, the fabric doesn't cling to the body, achieving a light, airy wearing feel. Ono Meriyasu obtained a patent for this technology in 2009—a testament to this long-established cut-and-sew maker's sincere approach to manufacturing.

Solving that clammy summer sweat: quick-drying moisture absorption and a cool touch

In the heat of summer, with Japan's high humidity, that clammy feeling of sweat is hard to ignore. It's remarkable that Cosmorama also comes with functional properties that solve exactly this problem.

First, there's [quick-drying moisture absorption]. When we actually spoke with people who wear Cosmorama clothing regularly, they said they especially notice this feature in summer—even after sweating, the fabric dries smooth and dry again after just a little time, so there's none of the discomfort typical of this season. Because sweat dries quickly, you don't notice any odor either, and it resolves those uniquely summer worries with ease.

There's also [contact cooling] (the sensation of coolness upon touch), which makes use of thermal conductivity. Heat has the property of moving from warmer to cooler areas, so the more heat that transfers, the cooler it feels to the touch. The fabric's slight sheerness helps keep the wearer cool both in sensation and in appearance.

Using this thoroughly appealing fabric, this time we've made T-shirts that can be worn in a dressy way.The Cosmorama Crew Neck T-Shirtand theCosmorama Tuck T-Shirthave simple shapes, but that very simplicity brings out the fine texture unique to Cosmorama. Add just one to your wardrobe, and it will greatly expand the range of your looks this summer.

The "Dress T-Shirt," aiming for quality everyday wear

Model height: 158cm / Wearing: DARK NAVY 1

Skirt: Check Tiered Skirt (ECRU/RED), Shoes:2133BT Fringe Slip-On (BLACK SUEDE), Bag: coming soon

This Cosmorama Crew Neck T-Shirt takes the dressy material Cosmorama and translates it into a basic T-shirt shape. Though the T-shirt is a quintessentially casual item, this one carries an elegance reminiscent of a dress. The fabric's characteristic drop creates drape, giving even a T-shirt a graceful impression.

Model height: 166cm/SMOKE NAVY 2

A cutting design that also accounts for the fabric's properties

The Cosmorama Tuck T-Shirt, meanwhile, is a piece where the drape created by the tucks brings out the fabric's elegance to the fullest.

Model height: 166cm / SMOKE NAVY

Skirt:[Special order] RELAX DENIM Skirt CHARCOAL HEATHER, Bangle:STERLING SILVER BANGLE SB31, Belt:Leather Belt PV667​

With its dropped-shoulder silhouette, this tuck T-shirt has been finished to look more like a dress. The tucks on the front bring out drape throughout the garment, adding movement to a simple T-shirt. The soft, gently gathered dolman sleeves give it a feminine, gentle impression.

DARK NAVY: The fabric at the top of the sleeve is folded in, giving it a soft, airy look

SMOKE NAVY: A clean, streamlined neckline

For either style, we've prepared two colors: SMOKE NAVY, whose appeal lies in its nuanced tone, and DARK NAVY, which pairs easily with any outfit.

(back) SMOKE NAVY (front) DARK NAVY

A dark color that lends a sense of definition to bright, summery outfits. Since the material feels cool to the touch, it has the added benefit of not looking heavy even when worn in summer.

Care Points Worth Knowing

If you've chosen clothing with such careful attention to material, you'll want to keep the care points in mind as well.

・About Washing
After hand-washing with a neutral detergent, dry the garment flat in the shade. Since the fabric is prone to snagging, please avoid tumble drying.

・Use a Pressing Cloth When Ironing
A pressing cloth helps prevent the fabric from developing shine or damage. To preserve the texture of the yarn itself, always use a pressing cloth when ironing. Set the temperature to low (110°C or below).

・Watch Out for Snagging
Due to the nature of the fibers, a small hole can spread once it forms. Since this material is easily snagged, please be careful around sharp objects or rough surfaces (such as walls).

The light, airy wearing feel that becomes addictive the moment you try it on made us truly understand why designers keep coming back to this fabric. In the heat of summer, it's nice to choose materials that feel good against the skin and spend the season in comfort.

>> A Devotion to Basic Shapes: Cosmorama Crew Neck T-Shirt

>> Drape That Creates a Beautiful Silhouette: Cosmorama Tuck T-Shirt

▽ See the full lineup of ZUTTO original wear here