The photo is one of the few relics that remain of M.Nii’s history. An image that recalls the golden age of American surf culture. Three friends in front of a wooden shack, one of whom is caught clearing his nasal passage while a friend next to him arches his back as if he were riding a wave off the beach of O’ahu. The photo was taken in 1959, just outside M.Nii Tailor where an obscure but revered surfwear began.

Outlier’s conceptions is a testament to the uniquely serendipitous moments that life sometimes offers. Abe Burmeister and Tyler Clemens wanted to design a new breed of functional, smartly styled clothing that could stand up to exhausting bike rides as easily as a desk job or night out without the need for a shower and change in between. Neither had any design experience.

Since 2009, Analogue Life has been the destination for contemporary Japanese crafts. But despite its global customer base and strong media coverage, including Wallpaper* Magazine’s reputable Handmade issue and showcase, little has been chronicled about the couple behind the small but impressive and influential shop in Nagoya. Founders Ian Orgias and Mitsue Iwakoshi’s attentive and thoughtful discoveries have exposed many Japanese artisans to the western world. Artisans that may never have been recognized outside of Japan if it weren’t for their shop.