Tedman BRM Ted Company Reversible Sukajan, Kintaro & Serpent Satin, Karajishi & Peony Velvet, Size M

Japan’s legendary golden boy wrestles a coiling serpent across burgundy satin; reverse the jacket and a silver-white guardian lion stands among peonies on deep black velvet. One face is colorful and narrative, the other restrained and almost heraldic, and together they make this BRM / Ted Company sukajan both embroidered folklore and highly wearable outerwear.

The Piece

A richly embroidered reversible sukajan from BRM / Ted Company, built around two dramatically different interpretations of Japanese folklore and auspicious symbolism. The maker belongs to the Japanese souvenir-jacket tradition of bold folklore, tattoo-art and Americana-inspired graphics found in Japanese heritage streetwear, and the contrast between the two faces is the jacket’s great strength.

The burgundy back shows Kintarō, the immensely strong child hero of Japanese folklore, locked in combat with a large serpent. He is rendered with a muscular body, determined expression, blue garments, patterned armor-like textile details and a raised weapon, while the serpent, in brown, silver and white, coils dynamically around him in a circular composition full of movement and tension. Kintarō is traditionally associated with exceptional strength, fearlessness, childhood vitality, loyalty, heroic potential and triumph over adversity; here the tale is translated into the language of Japanese tattoo art and souvenir-jacket embroidery. Large orange, cream and brown lettering reading “Bakuretsu Randan-Otokogumi” frames the action, and smaller lettering beneath the figure names him as the Japanese hero Kintaro.

On the burgundy front, one chest displays a stylized forked Japanese radish with embroidered English wording describing it as a good-luck article, a playful, earthy counterpoint drawn from the humorous folk and talismanic imagery of daikon and oddly shaped root vegetables. The opposite chest carries an angular crest containing a large stylized kanji in orange, black, cream and burgundy. This face combines deep wine burgundy with warm ivory sleeves, gold piping along the sleeve seams, blue garment accents and brown and tan striped ribbing, and the satin-finish textile shifts between wine, plum and dark burgundy with angle and fold.

The black velvet reverse centers on a large silver-white karajishi, the stylized Chinese guardian lion adopted into Japanese art, with a powerful body, clawed feet, tightly curled mane, cloud-like tail and layered circular markings, standing among large white peonies with muted green leaves. The karajishi symbolizes protective power, courage, authority, dignity and the warding away of harmful forces; paired with botan, the peony of beauty, prosperity, honor and cultivated magnificence, it forms a celebrated balance of power and refinement in Japanese painting, carving, tattooing and textiles. The front carries a white peony on one chest and a smaller karajishi on the other, each with decorative English lettering, and cream-and-black striped ribbing completes a face of silver, white and gray thread on a softer, deeper pile.

The density of the embroidery, the reversible construction, the typography, the palette and the fusion of folklore with tattoo-art graphics are consistent with late-1990s to 2000s Japanese heritage-streetwear production. The jacket belongs to the modern sukajan tradition rather than the earliest postwar souvenir-jacket period, joining the classic Yokosuka bomber structure to folklore heroes, guardian imagery, peony symbolism, bold English lettering and two-sided statement styling.

Details

• Maker: BRM / Ted Company
• Era: Likely late 1990s to 2000s
• Origin: Japan
• Material: Burgundy satin-finish face; black velvet-finish face; embroidery thread; rib-knit trim; decorative piping; metal zipper
• Color: Face A: deep wine burgundy body, warm ivory sleeves, gold piping, brown and tan striped ribbing. Face B: deep black velvet, silver, white and gray embroidery, ivory peonies, muted green foliage, cream-and-black striped ribbing
• Size: M (manufacturer’s tag); approximately a contemporary Western Small to slim Medium
• Measurements: A body length 62 cm (24.4 in) · B body width 50 cm (19.7 in; approx. doubled chest circumference 100 cm / 39.4 in) · C sleeve length from neck, along the raglan to the cuff, 75 cm (29.5 in) · D underarm sleeve length 52 cm (20.5 in) · E relaxed waist width 37 cm (14.6 in) (approximate, flat)
• Construction: Reversible two-face construction; raglan sleeves; full reversible metal zipper; angled welt pockets on both sides; striped rib-knit collar, cuffs and waistband; large front and back machine embroidery; compact souvenir-bomber silhouette
• Gender: Unisex

Condition

• Vintage pre-owned condition with age-appropriate wear, textile creasing, surface variation, storage folds and gentle softening throughout; strong color contrast and visual impact remain, and the principal Kintarō, serpent, karajishi, peony, radish, crest and lettering embroidery is clearly defined.
• Burgundy satin face: natural wrinkling, folding, directional sheen and light surface variation in the burgundy and cream textiles. A loose thread is visible near the upper shoulder area, and minor isolated thread ends or gentle embroidery fuzzing may be present.
• Black velvet face: light lint, pressure variation and changes of tone with the direction of the pile; small surface marks, dust attraction and flattened areas, natural to pre-owned velvet, may show more or less under different lighting.
• Ribbing and hardware: the striped collar, cuffs and waistband show gentle relaxation, waviness and age-related tonal variation. The reversible zipper, pockets, body panels and principal seams appear present and structurally cohesive in the photographed areas.

Wearing Notes

Measure against a jacket that already fits comfortably; the tagged Medium wears approximately as a Western Small to slim Medium depending on proportions, layering and preferred ease.

The burgundy side pairs naturally with black denim, faded jeans, military trousers, engineer boots, leather shoes or understated sneakers, its cream sleeves and gold piping giving the classic souvenir-jacket contrast. The black velvet side is more restrained, working with monochrome tailoring, wide-leg trousers, dark denim, boots or minimalist Japanese streetwear. On a broad padded hanger either side displays as embroidered textile art.

Specialist cleaning by someone experienced with vintage embroidered, satin-finish, velvet and reversible garments is recommended; do not machine wash, bleach, soak, scrub, wring or tumble dry, and avoid ironing directly over embroidery, velvet, piping or ribbing (gentle steaming from a safe distance can relax light creasing). Keep the velvet away from lint, rough bags, hook-and-loop fasteners, jewelry and abrasive surfaces, support the sleeves and body evenly when reversing, and store on a broad padded hanger in a breathable cover, away from direct sunlight, humidity, smoke, perfume and prolonged compression.

Authenticity & Care

Every piece is examined and documented in Japan before dispatch and is offered with the Japonista authenticity guarantee.

Delivery from Japan

Packed by hand in Japan and shipped insured and tracked by EMS or an equivalent express service. Import duties and taxes, where applicable, are payable on arrival. Returns follow our published policy.

Collectors also search: brm kintaro sukajan · ted company reversible sukajan · karajishi peony jacket · kintaro serpent souvenir jacket · velvet sukajan size m · japanese guardian lion sukajan · tedman brm jacket