Engineered Garments Flannel Scarf

THE ASKMEN TAKE

The Far East still holds a great deal of mystique from a Western perspective. However, the same wonder and interest can come from the other side as well. Japanese designer Daiki Suzuki grew up with a fascination for the American way of life and the unique way in which fashion is fused with utility. Visions of amber waves of grain drew Suzuki stateside where the now 46-year-old is heading up his own label, Engineered Garments. The austere name was concocted by the first pattern maker used by Suzuki who believed that the detail in each piece was more reminiscent of engineering than everyday designing. Perhaps that’s an appropriate moniker for clothing that has a uniquely industrial look to it. Suzuki’s flannel scarf, in a soft violet, is simple yet stylish and probably the kind of purple mountain majesty he dreamed of as a child.

UNIQUENESS

Despite what your pilling scarf from college is telling you, there arefashion trends in the world of men’s scarves. In fact, wearing the right scarf is the easiest way to separate yourself as a man among the boys, and this plaid number should help form a comfortable buffer. Instead of a Christmas-y color combo, Suzuki used purple and made it extra fat, too. The 18-inch width makes it perfect for looser draping. That’s exactly the kind of casual, lived-in look that Suzuki intended for the wearer. The Engineered Garments Flannel Scarf is ideal for jeans and T-shirts or, with apologies to Suzuki, even a crisp suit.

DURABILITY

Despite the latest movement toward American workwear, there is a gaping void in the market for something affordable that doesn’t require sifting through cardboard boxes at a thrift store or bartering with a trucker. Engineered Garments feeds the need with this scarf at just $75.  While purple is a color that most guys still feel carries a stigma going all the way back to their days playing in the sandbox, it is actually one of the most flattering and easiest to wear. Purple pairs with nearly everything and provides that eye-catching element every look needs. Suzuki’s Americana vision may have oddly enough been born in Japan, but this scarf was fittingly made in the U.S. -- in 100% wool -- without anything lost in translation.