When thinking of the nation famed for sakura blossom, fugu and samurai, the name Blue Blue Japan might not immediately spring to mind. But if you’re an advocate of the very Japanese philosophy of faultless craftsmanship – the sort that’s showcased by the nation’s legendary metalsmithing and engineering – it’s a name that should be on your sartorial radar.

Discovered by our globe-trotting buyers on one of their exploits to bring back the finest menswear to our shores, Blue Blue Japan has garnered a loyal following for its pieces that meld the best of Eastern and Western design elements, and crucially, for its skilful use of natural indigo – a far superior predecessor to synthetic dyes and a key ingredient in premium selvedge denim.

Even though indigo dyeing has a pedigree stretching back to Pharaonic Egypt, it has been practiced in Japan since the 10th century and as you would expect, the Japanese have brought their own form of perfection to the art. The process, known as Shibori, relies on the oxidation of indigo – a compound extracted from the leaves of Indigofera plants. As the dye is exposed to the air, the cloth turns a rich shade of blue, while areas of fabric exposed to less oxygen remain a lighter shade. This tee with a Japanese calligraphy character at its centre, is a fine case in point. It might all sound like you’re back in chemistry class, but this is the sort of technical process that gets true denim geeks salivating.

And the brand excels in other hand-dyeing techniques – as illustrated by this airy camp-collar shirt, which has been produced using the bassen relief method, in which rice paste is applied to resist the dye, leaving behind a pattern unique to each garment. If you’re feeling particularly bold, there’s also a matching headband and shorts. It will probably be the easiest head-to-toe look since you retired your school uniform – but with considerably more style kudos, of course.

Another equally natty shirt in the collection, this floral-print number brings the ancient craft bang up to date and can be easily worn in town or poolside bar – a worthy suitcase essential for summer, we’d say.

The line never strays far from its roots, which is highlighted by this tee sporting an image of Mount Fuji – a peak considered sacred to followers of the indigenous Shinto religion. Devotees believe the spirit, or kami, of Princess Konohanasakuya – whose symbol is sakura blossom – is resident of the volcano and to climb the peak is an act of pilgrimage.

And the best part? This small-batch limited collection is exclusive to us, so the chances of running into someone else wearing the same thing is pretty slim – and isn’t style all about individual expression, after all?