The History of Porter-Yoshida and Co, and What’s in Store for Japans Premiere Luggage Brand
Editorial Team
SOAS Creative Dept.
At the age of 12, a young Japanese boy left his small hometown of Samukawa with the goal to train as a bag-maker in Tokyo. Within his first five years of training, the Great Kanto Earthquake flattened the city, destroying an estimated 70% of buildings and killing close to a quarter of a million people. Walking through the rubble with his belongings tied to his back by a strip of cord, one might never have believed that this experience is what spurred the boy to found a luggage brand that would be one day worn by the empress of Japan, and considered one of most sought after in the world.
What’s So Great About Porter?
The brand as we know it today appeared in the early 60s, as Kichizo attempted to commercialise his product with a private brand, an incredibly rare move for Japanese bagmakers, who usually operated on a bespoke basis. Naming the brand after the porters who carried luggage through hotels, Porter stood out for its playful branding and recognisable designs. This change also spurred an interest in new fabrics. Discontent with the familiar leather handbag, Kichizo began to experiment, changing his classic leather designs to canvas and other unconventional materials for the time.
In the 1980’s, Kichizo started taking notes from American flight jackets like the MA-1, with its sturdy, yet lightweight nylon construction and rescue orange lining becoming a design cornerstone for the brands 1983 ‘Tanker’ series, a line that now dominates the brands output.
Using an incredibly high quality 100% nylon twill which is now widely considered to be one of the most premium in production, Porter centred the design of the ‘Tanker’ series around simple, but function design. Everything from lining to hardware was carefully designed and implemented in a way that maximises usefulness and efficiency, giving the bags a sleek, uniquely ‘Porter’ look.
The ‘Tanker’ series took off immediately, with the innovative choices made by Kichizo making the bags as fashionable as they are functional, creating a middle ground for collectors and the average working-man or traveler. After his passing in 1994, Kichizos sons took over, and have since kept the spirit of their fathers business alive both through innovation and a commitment to keep every aspect of production in Japan. The most recent of these innovations is a new nylon, which uses a completely plant-based nylon, dramatically cutting the ecological impact of the company.
So, with a complete overhaul of the ‘Tanker’ series coming in 2025, and the first pieces made of plant-based nylon due to arrive here at SON OF A STAG, we thought now would be the perfect time to break down a few of the brands most popular styles!
Tanker, Crag and Beyond
Porter is probably most well known for their ‘Tanker’ series, which is constructed from a proprietary nylon that has seen almost no change since the line first entered production in the 1960s. Porters unwavering commitment to well-made fabrics has stopped its quality degrading opposed to the vast majority of other synthetic materials, so their nylon is now considered to be some of the best in the world. Even well-known designer brands pale in comparison to Porters fabric, which has a slight sheen, and feels incredibly lightweight whilst being tangibly sturdy.
There’s more to the brand than just the ‘Tanker’ series, though, and the second most popular seems to be their ‘Crag’ line. Though they are still inspired by vintage military garments, ‘Crag’ bags are cut from durable cotton and garment-dyed using a ‘two-bath’ process, which gives the pieces a pre-worn, rustic appearance. The line pays homage to Porters original fabric experiments in the 1960s, with many designs carrying-over from this era.
Once you start digging into Porters back-catalogue, you’ll quickly discover a rabbit-hole of designs and experiments. From ‘Mile’ bags which take notes from mid-century American toolkits, to ‘Force’ and ‘Flying Ace’ pieces which sport different dyeing methods and military graphics respectively.
With over 100 years in business, its incredible to see Porter-Yoshida’s rise from humble bag atelier to one of the most celebrated brands in the world, and with their continuing commitment to quality and non-stop experimentation, we’re sure they’ll be deserving of this status for the foreseeable future.
