In Ura-Harajuku in the early ’90s, fashion collaborations flourished. Rapper Playboi Carti in the famous undercover denim jeans: The brand’s collections reference artists such as Patti Smith, Joy Division, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Talking Heads, Television, David Bowie, Temples and even jazz pianist Bill Evans at various points. Uundercover’s punk roots have led the brand to draw direct inspiration from many of Takahashi’s favorite artists. Music played a big role in Ura-Harajuku, whether through Nigo’s hip-hop obsession, Fujiwara’s past as a DJ, or Takahiro Miyashita’s love of rock music from Number (N)ine and Takahiromiyashita’s TheSoloist. With his blend of bondage, goth, baroque and grotesque aesthetics, he embodies the spirit of rebellion in fashion. Undercover’s motto is “We make noise, not clothes.” Like an heir to Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood, Takahashi transfers the subversion and disruption of punk rock to fashion. The brand found its place in high-end boutiques and remained a relatively well-kept secret in Western markets.Ī look from Undercover’s women’s collection: The high cost of importing goods from Japan meant that Undercover could rarely be sold at the more affordable prices Takahashi could achieve in his home country. Since its debut in Europe, Undercover has experienced gradual growth in North America and Europe. Undercover debuted in Paris in 2002, with Kawakubo using her connections to generate interest in the label. Kawakubo became a key supporter of Undercover and eventually convinced Takahashi to showcase his work outside of Tokyo. She bought an MA-1 bomber jacket from the collection and a friendship between the two was born. In 1994 Takahashi presented his first runway show for women, which caught the attention of Comme des Garcons founder Rei Kawakubo. International success and Comme des Garcons Of particular note was Takahashi’s collaboration with Hiroshi Fujiwara of Fragment Design, Anarchy Forever Forever Anarchy, which was heavily influenced by punk designers like Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood and their London store Seditionaries. The store sold American memorabilia and vintage clothing, as well as items made by the founders and their friends. Over the years, Nowhere became a major base at the center of Japan’s Ura-Harajuku (Backstreet or hidden Harajuku) streetwear scene. ![]() Takahashi needed a place to sell his clothes, so in 1993 he opened “NOWHERE” with Nigo from BAPE in Tokyo’s Harajuku district. The designer Jun Takahashi at Fashionweek 2019: Sk8thing, who went on to design for BAPE, Billionaire Boys Club and Cav Empt, designed graphics for Undercover’s Spring/Summer 2001 collection and several others over the years, with most of the designs coming from Takahashi himself. After seeing a Comme des Garcons show in the late ’80s, Takahashi decided to enter the fashion industry himself and founded Undercover in 1990. His formative influence was Vivienne Westwood, who, along with Malcolm McLaren, defined the look of the Sex Pistols in the ’70s. It’s no surprise that Takahashi started out as the lead singer of the punk tribute band Tokyo Sex Pistols. We are extremely proud to stock the Undercover line, as well as the contemporary subline John Undercover.Fashion brands: list The story of Undercover: from punk to mainstream When setting foot in Undercover’s Tokyo flagship store, a massive neon sign reminds every visitor of the brand’s DNA: “We make noise, not clothes.” Over the last couple of years, Undercover has become popular by a wider audience because of the collaborations with Supreme, Vans and the highly anticipated Gyakusou line with sportswear giant Nike. ![]() ![]() Unlike many larger European and American brands – Undercover is still fully owned by the grandmaster himself. An explanation for Undercover’s ability to push the boundary every single time, is the fact that Takahashi still has full control over his operations and designs. Every season from then, the Undercover collection is a showcase of inventiveness: ground-breaking designs, avant-garde pieces and rebellious themes. After experimenting with making t-shirts, and opening his first shop in Tokyo – a collaboration with Nigo, founder of A Bathing Ape – Takahashi decided he was ready to jump in the deep.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |