orSlow is a Japanese clothing brand founded in 2005 by Ichiro Nakatsu in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture. The name combines “or” (for original) and “slow” — a direct statement of the brand’s philosophy: produce clothing at a deliberate pace using traditional methods, inspired by vintage American workwear and military garments from the 1950s to 1980s, and designed to be worn and loved for decades. All orSlow garments are made in Japan, using fabrics woven on vintage shuttle looms or produced by specialist mills the brand works with closely.
Key Facts
- Founded: 2005
- Founder/Designer: Ichiro Nakatsu
- Headquarters: Nishinomiya, Hyōgo, Japan
- Industry: Heritage Menswear, Japanese Denim, Workwear
History and Philosophy
Nakatsu’s relationship with vintage clothing began in childhood — a pair of denim dungarees his mother bought him as a young child, later identified as being made from 1960s Cone Mills selvedge denim, unlocked a lifelong fascination with the history of American textiles and workwear. He spent years collecting vintage garments and studying their construction before founding orSlow in 2005, initially offering just four styles of denim trousers. The brand began internationally participating in Paris and New York trade shows in 2009, and by 2014 had built a strong global following, particularly after a Vancouver magazine feature brought it to the attention of international stockists.
orSlow develops its own fabrics — selvedge denim woven on vintage shuttle looms that produce just 50 metres per day per machine (equivalent to 20 pairs of jeans) — and produces everything in Japan using manufacturing traditions that the country developed during the 1990s vintage clothing boom, when Japanese mills and factories accumulated world-leading expertise in quality vintage reproduction. Nakatsu still makes many initial samples himself at his Nishinomiya workshop.
Product and Stockists
orSlow’s signature pieces include the 107 Ivy Fit jeans (a clean, straight-leg inspired by classic Levi’s proportions), US Army fatigue trousers, chore coats, and various workwear-influenced outerwear. The brand is stocked by Oi Polloi, Standard & Strange, END. Clothing, and independent menswear retailers across Europe, the US, and Japan.
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