NEPENTHES

NEPENTHES is a Japanese casualwear company and retailer led by Keizo Shimizu. It is the home of brands such as Needles, Engineered Garments and South2 West8 and runs stores in Japan, the United States and London.

What is NEPENTHES?

NEPENTHES is a Tokyo-based clothing company and store group associated with designer Keizo Shimizu. It acts as the umbrella for a family of labels with roots in vintage American clothing, and runs its own stores that sell these brands alongside selected others.

History

Shimizu, born in Yamanashi in 1958, built NEPENTHES together with Daiki Suzuki. In 1989 their partnership took its current form, with Shimizu settling in Japan and Suzuki moving to the United States, where he later founded Engineered Garments in New York.

Products and positioning

The company's brands include:

• Needles, designed by Keizo Shimizu
• Engineered Garments, designed by Daiki Suzuki
• South2 West8, an outdoor-oriented line
• Smaller labels such as Rhodolirion, Hana Taiyo Ame, Shiden and tActi

Together they combine American workwear and sportswear references with Japanese fabrics and detailing.

Distribution

NEPENTHES operates stores in Tokyo, Osaka, Hakata, New York, Los Angeles and London, plus NEPENTHES WOMAN shops and an online store in America. Its brands are also sold widely through international retailers.

Why it matters

NEPENTHES is one of the key companies behind the global appeal of Japanese interpretations of Americana, and its transpacific structure has made it a reference for menswear retailers worldwide.

Frequently asked questions

Who founded NEPENTHES?

NEPENTHES is led by designer Keizo Shimizu, who built the company together with Daiki Suzuki of Engineered Garments.

What brands does NEPENTHES own?

NEPENTHES is the home of Needles, Engineered Garments and South2 West8, among other labels.

All brands