Yoshida Kichizo, the founder of Yoshida Kaban, is a bag craftsman who trained at a long-established bag studio in Ueno. Kichizo, who was 17 at the time of the Great Kanto Earthquake, carries a lot of stuff out of the house by tying household goods to both ends of the string and hanging them from his shoulder. This experience made Mr. Kichizo think that "a bag should be a tool for carrying luggage first," and even after he established Yoshida Bag Seisakusho in 1935, he kept the philosophy based on this experience and aimed to make "a bag that became familiar the more you used it, and that will be used for a long time.". The model that made Yoshida Bag famous, and the "Elegant Bag," an explosive hit in 1953, are of course leather.

Leather products account for about 2 to 30% of the current PORTER lineup. The oldest of the existing franchises, the Baron, made of thick, soft leather inspired by baseball gloves, remains as popular as ever. Nowadays, however, lifestyles tend to favor lightweight, easy-to-handle materials such as nylon. Even so, they are constantly releasing leather products because they value the passing on of technology in Japanese manufacturing.

Since its founding, Yoshida Kaban has walked with its craftsmen in the spirit of "Ippin Nyukon" (One needle, one soul). While many manufacturers switch their production bases overseas, Yoshida Kaban continues to insist on being made in Japan because it values its relationships with reliable craftsmen. There are episodes left to prove it. In 1994, she won the Mimosa Prize, which is given to those who have contributed to the fashion industry. Initially, the award was to be given to Mr. Kichizo himself, but as a result of asking him to share the award with the craftsmen because the work was done by two people, the winner column read "Mr. Kichizo Yoshida and the craftsmen of Yoshida Kaban.". This shows how much they value the craftsmen.
In addition, for more than 10 years, the company has established a department called the Production Department, where personnel who are interested in making bags or want to become bag craftsmen are sent to artisans for training. After several years of training as a craftsman, he returned from his training and now works as a craftsman, producing samples in the company. This is part of the succession of technology, as well as an effort to preserve the origin of Ippin Nyukon.

As the brand celebrates its 60 year anniversary, PORTER has spawned a number of popular franchises. It is not an exaggeration to say that the wide range of the line up is the best of the bag brands, and more than 200 lines are still being developed. Another characteristic is that many long-sellers, such as Baron, have been selling for decades. That's all because of its timeless design, but the craftsmen involved in bag making are undoubtedly the ones who support the long-seller.
Like the process of carefully stitching each stitch, the quality is preserved because the company adheres to the spirit of "one-stitch, soul" by not cutting corners in every process from material selection to design and sewing. And because they insist on being made in Japan, where they can communicate closely with the craftsmen, they can continue to make them. Maybe that's the true appeal of PORTER and why it continues to fascinate people around the world.

上品さとカジュアルさが絶妙に融合されたデイパック

The PORTER Aroof is one of PORTER's long-selling series that has been around for more than 10 years and features a light, soft, high-quality calf. Day packs are particularly popular and feature a simple design that brings out the texture of the fine calves. The contrast with the nylon tape used for the heli-winding is impressive, and it gives a somewhat casual impression despite being made of all leather. PORTER also features a semi-automatic slider that allows fastener pulls to stay in place, and a breathable mesh back for added comfort. It's easy to match with any styling, yet it's a nice upgrade, so it's definitely a useful addition to your wardrobe.

PORTER PORTER Aloof Backpack