Founded in 1935 by bag craftsman Kichizo Yoshida, PORTER celebrates its 90th anniversary this year. To commemorate this milestone, the brand held its first-ever solo pop-up event, “PORTER 90th BIRTHDAY NYC POP-UP STORE,” from September 3 to 7, 2025, on Spring Street in SoHo, New York.
The space showcased an extensive lineup, including PORTER’s signature “TANKER” series, the latest “MONOCHROME” collection, and exclusive collaboration pieces with Copenhagen-based designer Cecilie Bahnsen. Among the highlights was the “ALL NEW TANKER,” crafted from the world’s first 100% plant-based nylon — a creation that embodies PORTER’s seamless fusion of sustainability and craftsmanship, marking a new chapter in the brand’s evolution.
Since its founding, PORTER has remained true to its guiding philosophy: “Heart and Soul into Every Stitch.” To celebrate this special occasion, OSF conducted an exclusive interview with PORTER’s communications representative, exploring the brand’s 90-year journey, the spirit behind this milestone, and its vision for the future.
Q1. What inspired the decision to hold PORTER’s first-ever solo pop-up event in New York?
Even before the pandemic, many international customers were visiting our stores in Japan. However, during the pandemic, global travel restrictions made it impossible for people to experience our bags firsthand. In that period, a strong desire grew within us — once the world reopens, we want to personally bring our craftsmanship to customers around the globe.
In 2023, our iconic TANKER series celebrated its 40th anniversary. To mark the occasion, we reintroduced it with 100% plant-based nylon, the first of its kind to be mass-produced in the world.
Since then, we’ve been carrying this “NEW TANKER” to pop-up events in major global cities including New York, Berlin, London, Macau, and Seoul. Previously, we hosted pop-ups in existing spaces such as Dover Street Market London, but the limited space and regulations often made it difficult to fully express our ideal brand universe.
Our desire to present our products in our own way and to share our passion directly with customers became stronger than ever. That led us to the decision to hold this first independent pop-up event in New York.
Q2. As PORTER celebrates its 90th anniversary, what is the key message you wish to share?
To mark this important milestone, we introduced a new brand message: “Every Day is a New Beginning.”
It carries the hope that each day will be better than the last — and it also reflects our own determination to continue challenging ourselves and evolving our craftsmanship.
For 90 years, PORTER has stayed true to the essence of Made in Japan, continuously creating new ideas and innovations to suit the changing times. We see it as our mission to carry forward the founder’s enduring spirit and creativity, and to pass them on to the next generation.
That is why, in our 90th year, we want to deliver this message — “Every Day is a New Beginning” — directly to our customers around the world.
Q3. The “ALL NEW TANKER” uses the world’s first 100% plant-based nylon. How do you balance environmental responsibility with craftsmanship?
For us, this 100% plant-based nylon is not just an eco-friendly material — it represents a major technological breakthrough. Nylon has long been regarded as a petroleum-based material, but creating it entirely from plants was a world-first achievement.
Developing this material was an enormous challenge. Because it was completely new, establishing a production system was not easy, and achieving the strength, lightness, and flexibility that define the TANKER series required relentless experimentation.
This is where our Japanese craftsmanship came into play. By combining tradition with innovation, we succeeded in transforming this material into a fully realized bag.
So rather than simply “combining sustainability and craftsmanship,” we challenged ourselves to turn a never-before-seen material into a true TANKER product. That spirit of innovation — not just preserving tradition, but evolving it — is what defines PORTER’s craftsmanship today.
Through this project, we were able to show that TANKER continues to evolve while honoring the legacy of the past 40 years.
Q4. What was the concept behind your collaboration with Copenhagen-based brand Cecilie Bahnsen?
In every collaboration, what matters most to us is a shared sincerity toward product creation. Cecilie Bahnsen is known for her poetic, delicate designs and her strong commitment to expressing a unique world through her creations.
We, too, have long valued craftsmanship that complements people’s everyday lives. By respecting each other’s values and strengths, we were able to create something new — a collection that merges Bahnsen’s refined femininity with PORTER’s functional beauty.
The result is a special collaboration that bridges two worlds — elegance and utility — through design and detail.
Q5. How was the response from the U.S. market, and what are your plans moving forward?
Many customers in the U.S. already own and love PORTER bags, and it was incredible to see so many visit the pop-up after discovering it on Instagram or hearing about it through word of mouth. Feeling that energy firsthand was invaluable.
The United States is a market rich in diversity and individuality. How PORTER is received here will serve as an important benchmark for our future global strategy.
Building on this experience, we plan to continue hosting pop-ups in major cities — including New York — while deepening our understanding of each local market and sharing the essence of PORTER’s craftsmanship with a wider global audience.
【PORTER Official Information】
Latest collection and collaboration updates are shared regularly on the official website and Instagram.
Website: https://www.yoshidakaban.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/porter_yoshida_co.official/
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