Up for sale here is a sweater from the Monitaly label, designed by Yuki Matsuda who also runs the Yuketen brand. Where Yuketen is 100% made in the USA and based on traditional footwear silhouettes, Monitaly follows the same basic ethos with their clothing. Much like Engieered Garments and the Nepenthes family in Japan, Monitaly produces almost exclusively in the US, usually incorporating vintage and workwear elements into their designs. This is in no way a repro label though, their designs are totally new and unique.
This is Monitaly’s take on the classic crewneck sweater, done of course with some tweaks. Material in this case is 100% acrylic, a fairly usual fabric for a sweater actually. Acrylic is noted for its high heat retention properties, which works well for a sweater. The knit is also very unique, where you see the individual strands in different shades of white, black and gray woven together.
Interestingly, this sweater was made in Mexico. Although most Monitaly products are made in the US, the Meg Company (Monitaly’s parent company) produces exclusively in Mexico with the Chamula label, and sometimes Monitaly and Chamula cross over with one another. I believe that’s what we have here. The other twist comes in the neckline, with the incorporation of a zipper. This makes taking the sweater on and off quite a bit easier and also provides a nice visual change. Monitaly is one of those labels that can be pretty hard to come by outside of Japan, even though they are based in the US. Their quality is typically excellent, and this piece definitely does not disappoint. Get it here at a fraction of the original cost as well.
Size is labeled a medium and fits true if a bit loose. I measure the chest at 21”, shoulders at 17”, length at 25” from the base of the neck and sleeves at 24” from the shoulder. The sweater comes in lightly used, excellent shape with no holes, tears, stains or obvious signs of wear. Made in the Mexico.
Shipping from Japan to anywhere will be $26.