The appeal of leather lies in the natural sheen and texture it develops over time. It can protect the body, carry our belongings, and travel with us across neighborhoods, cities, and even countries. Japanese leather goods brand VASCO was created around this very idea, making durable “travel tools” designed to accompany their owners through life and every journey along the way.
Contents
- VASCO and the Idea of Travel Tools
- Founder Ken Namiki and the Beginning of VASCO
- The ANCHOR MILLS Workshop
- The Signature OLD OIL Process
- The Leather Bag Loved by Takuya Kimura
- Leather Goods Made for the Journey
VASCO and the Idea of Travel Tools
VASCO was founded by Ken Namiki, who named the brand after Vasco da Gama, the renowned Portuguese explorer from the Age of Discovery. The spirit of facing the unknown and embracing adventure is more than a brand concept. It can also be seen in VASCO’s approach to materials, construction, and leather craftsmanship.
Founder Ken Namiki and the Beginning of VASCO
Ken Namiki is both the heart and backbone of VASCO. He remains closely involved in everything from design and production to the way the finished products are presented and sold. His career did not begin in a leather workshop, however. His knowledge was built gradually through years of hands-on experience.
Namiki began his career working at a vintage clothing store, where he gained experience in both retail and buying. Spending years around vintage garments and historic pieces gave him a deeper understanding of materials, construction, and finishing techniques. He began planning the brand in 2007 and officially established VASCO in 2009. Its early work drew inspiration from World War II-era U.S. military bags, preserving the character of historic objects while adapting their function for modern life. That approach has remained largely unchanged since the brand began.
The ANCHOR MILLS Workshop
VASCO’s leather goods are made at its own ANCHOR MILLS workshop. Material development, processing, cutting, sewing, and final finishing are handled by the craftspeople working there. The brand selects leather according to the needs of each design, using cowhide sourced from Japan, the United States, Italy, and other regions.
Differences in the raw hides and tanning methods give each leather its own feel, color, and even scent. Still, one of the defining elements behind VASCO’s distinctive identity is its signature OLD OIL leather.
The Signature OLD OIL Process
One of the defining features of OLD OIL leather is a surface-dyeing technique known in Japanese as oka-zome. Rather than allowing the dye to penetrate completely through the hide, the color is applied primarily to the surface. This creates natural variations in tone while allowing the grain and creases of each hide to produce a different appearance.
Because the color sits mainly on the surface, the lighter base underneath gradually becomes visible through years of wear and friction. Handles, corners, and areas that bend frequently will develop their own levels of fading and sheen. As a result, no two pieces will age in exactly the same way.
After dyeing, the leather is treated with oils to improve its suppleness and give it a richer feel. It then goes through what VASCO calls its scorching process, which adds stronger color contrast and irregular surface texture. This gives a new VASCO bag the depth of a well-used vintage piece while allowing the leather to keep changing through everyday wear.
The Leather Bag Loved by Takuya Kimura
VASCO’s craftsmanship and attention to detail also reached a wider audience through television. In the 2019 drama La Grande Maison Tokyo, Takuya Kimura played a celebrated chef rebuilding his career and was frequently seen carrying VASCO’s Leather Nelson 2 Way Bag. The exposure quickly brought the bag wider attention, and demand soon exceeded supply.
Its appearance on television did not change the way VASCO worked. The brand continued to rely on a small team of craftspeople at its own workshop, carefully completing each stage while preserving the production methods and standards it had followed from the beginning.
Leather Goods Made for the Journey
The appeal of VASCO is not simply that its new leather goods resemble vintage pieces. Through its choice of materials, construction, and finishing techniques, the brand creates products with the durability and character needed for years of use. The uneven tones of OLD OIL leather are only the beginning. Its final appearance is shaped by the friction, creases, and natural sheen created by its owner over time.
When a bag can withstand everyday use while carrying the marks of each experience across its surface, it becomes more than a container for personal belongings. It becomes a genuine tool for the journey. This idea has remained at the heart of VASCO since the beginning, and it is what allows each piece to grow more personal and compelling with age.