Worldwide Express Shipping, Quality Menswear since 1999
Founded in 2010 by designer Yoshichika Kato, Gypsy & Sons is the artisanal menswear division of Asdic Co., Ltd. based in Owari-Ichinomiya, Aichi Prefecture—the historic heartland of Japan’s Bishu textile industry. Fusing formal tailoring discipline with mid-century military functionalism and vintage workwear, Gypsy & Sons delivers 100% Made-in-Japan garments built from custom-milled textiles, high-density Ventile cotton, and natural hand-finished hardware.
Unlike mainstream fashion labels that outsource garment assembly overseas, Gypsy & Sons was established specifically to preserve and advance Japan's traditional domestic textile manufacturing. Creative director Yoshichika Kato was raised in Owari-Ichinomiya within a family enterprise dedicated to bespoke suit pattern-making and formal tailoring. Absorbing canvas construction, sleeve-pitch engineering, and structural tailoring from early childhood, Kato later developed a passion for vintage motor culture, mid-century American sportswear (Amekaji), and European military gear.
The brand’s title reflects this dual philosophy: "Gypsy" evokes the fierce self-determination and autonomy of nomadic wanderers unswayed by fast-fashion trends, while "Sons" honors the lineage of modern Japanese craftsmen who inherit, protect, and refine classic garment construction for future generations.
Rather than executing strict stitch-for-stitch historical reproductions (fukkokou), Kato approaches heritage garments as structural foundations. Gypsy & Sons deconstructs utilitarian archetypes from the late 19th through mid-20th century—retaining their tactile weight and rugged durability while refining modern draping and fit.
Operating from Owari-Ichinomiya places Gypsy & Sons in direct proximity to Bishu’s historic mills. Renowned globally alongside Biella in Italy and Huddersfield in the UK, Bishu utilizes the mineral-soft water of the Kiso River basin to scour, dye, and spin exceptional woolen and long-staple cotton yarns.
To achieve an authentic vintage hand-feel without destroying fabric integrity with harsh artificial chemical washes, Gypsy & Sons relies on mechanical finishing, garment sulfur-dyeing, and botanical wash treatments. Graphic treatments utilize traditional discharge printing and hand-applied stencils that fade naturally over time alongside the base weave.
The cornerstone of Gypsy & Sons’ outerwear line is the Ventile Cotton Anorak Jacket (also referenced as the BAS Mountain Smock). Engineered without synthetic nylon laminates, polyurethane coatings, or noisy membranes, the shell relies on 100% high-density long-staple Ventile cotton originally developed in the 1930s for RAF pilots at Manchester’s Shirley Institute.
When exposed to rain, the long-staple cotton fibers physically swell, sealing the microscopic gaps in the weave to form a silent, breathable, windproof, and water-resistant barrier.