Mizuno, founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1906 has long been renowned for the native craftsmanship found in it grain forged irons, most recently seen in the MP-18 range that returned to Mizuno's YORO master craftsman to apply the distinctive finishing touches.
It's not only clubs that are benefiting from Eastern know-how however, with the company considering it the right time to bring domestic Japanese apparel collections to Europe for the first time with the AW17 range.
Aki Shirane from the Western Design Office for Mizuno, explains:
European tastes have become more sophisticated to the point where the idea of performance enhancing apparel is more accepted. A jacket that finds an extra degree of warmth through solar panels is no longer just something that fits the Japanese consumer – we’re all looking for something a little special now.
What Mizuno is calling 'The Authentic Japanese Collection' is headed by the Impermalite F20 Rain Jacket and Trousers, Mizuno’s most popular waterproof in Japan, tailored from fabrics so light and soft you can happily wear the jacket as a windtop or pack it away into its own compact storage pouch.
The breathable Impermalite F20 fabric offers the highest level of waterproofing to 20,000mm to keep you dry in even the worst playing conditions. In layman's terms, wind driven rain exerts approximately 1,400mm of pressure whilst hurricane force rain equates to around 7,000mm, so the Impermalite F20 is guaranteed to keep the weather out.
The collection also includes an extended range of garments described as Breath Thermo, many of which owe their origins to ski-wear designs and engineering, including the Breath Thermo Base Layer and Tights, which not only insulate, but also generate new heat using trace amounts of vapour released from the body.
The Breath Thermo 1/2 zip is a lightweight body-warming second layer ideal for cold conditions and the Breath Thermo Full-Zip Jacket and Full-Zip Gilet are packed with performance-and warmth-enhancing technology. Featuring Mizuno's lightweight TechFill material which maintains padding volume for longer performance and Mizuno 'Move Tech' that facilitates a free swing via key strategic stretch points.
Completing the high-tech ‘Authentic Japan Collection’ AW17 apparel line-up are the Tech Shield Jacket and Move Tech Trouser. The former is a mid-weight wind-protection layer in Black or Deep Navy featuring a knitted material that combines high levels of weather-proofing with stretchability to help you swing freely still even when seeking extra protection from the elements.