As the Beams x Champion collaboration lands on MR PORTER, we pick out the key pieces – and show you how to wear them.

The history of post-war Japanese style is defined by a love of all-American clothing – a fact you can see reflected in brands from Camoshita (which takes inspiration from the clean-cut style of the Ivy League look) to Remi Relief (which riffs on Californian surf culture) to Neighborhood (which is all about biker gear). It’s therefore hardly surprising to learn that Beams, one of the most influential retailers and brands on the Japanese style landscape, has for some time been engaged in collaborations with Champion, the quintessential American sportswear brand.

Up until 2016, this collection – which focuses, of course, on sweats – had been a Japan-only affair. But in the past two seasons these fun, collegiate-feeling pieces have been available in Europe. Now, finally, they’ve arrived in MR PORTER-land, too. Scroll down to discover a few of our favourites from the new season, and how to wear them.

A grey marl sweatshirt is something of a no-brainer within the male wardrobe. It’s the perfect thing for lounging around in at the weekend, but is also good for adding a sporty touch to more traditional garments, such as a wool overcoat. This variation from Beams x Champion has the simple extra appeal of a jolly slogan across the front. What’s not to like? Wear it with Beams Plus’s fantastic suede coach jacket, a sporty but timeless piece that’s also rather attractively priced.

In case you’re wondering exactly what team you’d be aligning yourself with when slipping on this appealingly retro-styled T-shirt, be reassured that the Japanese characters can be transliterated as “Bii–Mu-Su”, that is, “Beams”. Should have guessed that, really. Wear it with a pair of selvedge denim jeans and some white Converse and look every inch the off-duty Japanese quarterback (that’s the first time we’ve written that sentence, but trust us, it’s a strong look).

With its printed sleeves, this long-sleeved T-shirt has an almost streetwear quality to it, which means it would work very well with items from the likes of Stüssy and Cav Empt. (Thanks to Vetements, the rise and rise of streetwear was one of the dominant style stories of 2016, as we remarked recently in our recap of the year.) To push this particular aesthetic to its utmost, we’d suggest wearing it with a pair of grey sweatpants, also by Champion x Beams, and some sort of down or quilted jacket – there are some particularly good examples available from Kapital, Aspesi and The Workers Club.

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