As Spring Summer 2000 did not adhere to a traditional runway presentation and was only released as-is in store, little to no verified information is available online. So let’s take a look at Number Nine’s history leading up to Takahiro Miyashita’s first ever runway show, Autumn Winter 2000 “The Redisun,” where this exact jacket would later appear in a leather version as seen in look 26, one season after its original release. This essay is made entirely with thanks to archivepdf’s scan of EYESCREAM’s June special edition “The Truth of Number Nine.”
Born in 1973, Miyashita grew up distant from his parents and often alone, but through his brother and Coppola’s films, he developed a strong love for American fashion. He and his brother debated whether Sean Penn or Matt Dillon was cooler, copying everything they did. “If Sean Penn were to bend his boots, so did we. If he wore an eggplant colored tee shirt we dashed to the supermarket, bought a white tee shirt, and dyed it at my house. My mother wasn’t too happy about this haha.”
He cites “Outsider,” “Rumble Fish,” and “Bad Boys” as his introduction to fashion. By 15, Miyashita was already dressing the part, wearing leather jackets, wandering Shibuya, listening to music, and drinking with friends in Sugamo, living almost as a reflection of the characters he admired. When alone, he turned inward, immersing himself in literature and poetry, while continuing to evolve his style from strangers in Shibuya and peers older than him (which remains a key reference point in his design process today).
After dropping out of high school, Miyashita began working, eventually lying about his age to join Propeller, a community centric store he later described as the catalyst of his style. It was there that Keizo Shimizu of Nepenthes discovered him. A year later, Miyashita moved to the United States to fulfil a childhood dream, surviving on McDonald’s, ham, and beer while observing how people dressed, only to realise many of the garments he sought already existed back in Japan at Nepenthes. At 23, he left to start Number Nine with a “one season” self-imposed deadline. With early support from Masaru Miyamoto (now CEO of Kooks), he began designing, and his work quickly gained traction through word of mouth and fashion magazines. Three seasons later, the brand presented its first proper runway collection in Tokyo Fashion Week, marking the shift from an underground label to the spotlight with “The Redisun.” Miyashita mentioned how Jun Takahashi paved the way for him with his womenswear presentations.
This jacket from Spring Summer 2000 is now a heavily sought after piece. It features a Lambretta logo lining, ribbed hems and cuffs, epaulettes, and the signature three zips.
Tagged Size 2
Measurements:
Length 64cm
Shoulder 43cm
PTP 47cm
Sleeve 46cm
Hem 50cm