The Tamesis
Ever the rebel, Jun Takahashi chose “We make noise, not clothes” as one of his seasonal slogans. Still, it’s the clothes, not the noise, that keep the lights on, so his pre-fall collection provided a decidedly quieter vehicle for the label’s nonconformist style, distilling his runway ethos into something more shoppable.
According to the Tokyo studio, the focus of this outing is “contemporary interpretations of classic basics”; and as it turns out, it includes a collection of T-shirts, sweaters, button-downs, bomber jackets, and tailoring with subtle twists that are all very pleasing to the eye. The collection was almost entirely black, which made the variegated anatomical hearts embroidered on the elbows of some jackets all the more striking.
Zippers were the focal point of the collection, with zippers on square pockets adding utilitarian, oversized style to T-shirts, cardigans and slim-cut trousers, but they were most effective on fuzzy Cobain-y knits, where they snaked subtly across the torso in vein-like curves. Kids Love Gaite’s steel cap derby shoes complement every look.
Details and hardware are in all the usual punk styles, but the dominance of black and clean, slim cuts give the collection a delightful gothic flavor. Interestingly, the notes state that “the silhouettes are designed to be more compact than in recent seasons” – a refresh from the oversized silhouettes that have dominated menswear as of late. The absence of hard coats is also intentional, “in response to the recent trend of warmer winters.”
Overall, this is a series filled with accessible pieces that approach the door to the chaotic fantasy that Takahashi is known for while offering a safe vantage point to peek inside.
