Japanese Fashion Designers: Daiki Suzuki

Daiki Suzuki  

Daiki Suzuki is a Japanese-born American clothing designer, he went to a design school the into work in retail, which prompted his own work at home (D.I.Y. of sorts.) After years of buying he was able to do what he does now. He is the head of the American clothing brand Engineered Garment. In 1970 he was one of the first buyer of Woolrich fashion in Japan. In 2001 Suzuki became the designer for Woolrich Woolen Mills in Amercia.

Suzuki says of his work, "I try to choose good dynamic designs with patterns that can be modified for today's use. Usually I re-work the fits as lightly as possible, being careful not to re-produce vintage designs—adding some things and taking some off, balancing it out to make it look new." 

Engineered Garments began in 1999 as a way of Suzuki to make his own products, a product you couldn't find. The business shifted when the internet was becoming more and more popular - things were no longer hard to find! The internet was great for expanding the entire clothing industry but specialty was being killed.

Suzuki wasn't as such influenced, EG was very personal to him. He says "it's about clothes I have seen, worn, bought and grew up with, for me its an amalgamation of all these things" along with "I approach my work with my personal experiences only"

He has a calm approach to his company saying that "If anyone is interested and we are approached we are more than happy to start dialogue and hopefully it's a good result. EG is not about being cool or making people look a certain way but it can help."

Japanese Fashion Designers: Junya Watanabe

Junya Watanabe

 Junya Watanabe was born in 1961 in Fukushima. He attended Bunka Fashion college, graduating in 1984. He is renowned for creating innovative and distinctive clothing. His designs reflect the princible of his mentor Kawabuko.

His style changes dramatically every season, by taking a stab at futuristic designs like wrapping neon punks or abstract oriental peasant wear on poetic stark white. He gives his clothes an unnusual look by adding random tucking, pleating or ruching.

In 1995 his collection was all boiled wool and black leather with tattoos on the models. He is very interested in synthetic and technological advanced textiles and fabrics like found in his 2001 spring/summer line.

Kimono Time

KIMONO'S

I was scrolling through my tumblr feed  and I found a picture of two men where unconventional kimonos. I loved them, my love of traditional Japan and punk were fused together in this item of clothing. They looked great! The colours and patterns were traditional but they way they were worn and their hair and makeup wasn't. I thought they had found a great way to mix up something so traditional! <3

Platform shoes from Japan <3

JAPANESE PLATFORM SHOES:

Platform shoes have to be one of the best things that are in the street fashion in Japan. They combine a more punkish or gothic look with the sweet cute childish aspects of some styles like these cat platform shoes! In almost every photograph I have seen that has been taken in the streets of Tokyo there have been a pair of platform shoes <3