Client Story · No. 03
牧之晨×Menes
When passionate new-gen founders meet partners who share their drive.
Emerging Brands
Partnering with Gen Z Founders to Create a Legacy
MENES, a Japanese streetwear brand, was founded by twin brothers, both born after 2000. Young, uncompromising, they pursue denim details with near-obsessive fervor. While they admired the traditional craftsmanship of Japan's Okayama region, the limited production capacity of artisanal workshops – only a few hundred pieces every six months – hindered their growth.
Our first meeting took place at a small Japanese restaurant. The brothers proudly presented their Okayama denim, eyes gleaming: 'This is our dream, but no one can produce it.'
Trust
Give Us a Month
The inseam construction, stitching, and chain-stitch technique on those jeans are recognized as industry challenges. We responded: 'Give us a month.'
Thirty days, countless prototypes, endless adjustments. Ten days after samples were dispatched, our intermediary relayed their feedback: they couldn't distinguish between the original and our production.
Inspiration
The Texture of a Tatami Mat
A week later, the two young founders flew to Ningbo. Upon entering our office, their attention was immediately drawn to a century-old Huang Gulin tatami mat by the window. 'Could this texture be replicated on a leather patch?' From a spontaneous idea, we produced a sample the very same day.
Co-creation
From Concept to Garment
We talked late into the night, discussing their brand's direction, the future of new-gen denim, and how to transcend the influence of established European and Japanese brands to create a contemporary Eastern denim. We helped them refine their product lines, actualize their daring ideas, and collaborated to transform each concept into a tangible garment.
Their inaugural collaboration, the 'Eye Pocket' denim, sold out 300 units instantly. Subsequent pieces, like the lobster-clasp jacket, sold out within an hour. From 300 to 3,000 units, from obscurity to becoming a dark horse in the Japanese streetwear scene, we've watched this young brand evolve, step by step.
Recognition
A Deeper Understanding
This year, the head of the historic Okayama workshop, which had produced for MENES for decades, visited Ningbo. After touring our production facilities, he remarked: 'It seems you understand their vision even better than we do.'
We understand the challenges faced by young founders – limited resources, unconventional ideas, and their ambition to innovate. Because we know every legendary brand began with nothing.
Closing
We witnessed MENES grow from 300 to 3,000 units, from unknown to a formidable force in streetwear. Every legend starts somewhere, and we aspire to be a partner in your rise.