The varsity letterman sweater was first worn by students who were part of the baseball team at Harvard University in America in 1865, when they sewed a large H to their thick grey flannel team pullovers. Ten years later, the Harvard football team did the same, and soon after, teams from different schools across the country adopted the letter symbol. By the 1930s, groups had replaced the pullover with the familiar wool jacket with leather sleeves. Interested in the sweater as a form of early American sportswear, Takahashi took inspiration from a vintage pullover sourced in California, U.S.A. Referencing the hand-knitted chunky texture, boat-neck and no-shoulder seam, the Varsity Letterman Sweater is made using an alpaca and wool blend, creating a double-sided brushed finish that is dyed using natural plant dye and features ribbed cuffs and hem.