Crooks & Castles, 'Puttin in Work'

Crooks & Castles have been blessing our wardrobes for 10 years.
Showing their new line 'Puttin in Work' at Magic (buyers convention) in Las Vegas.

http://vimeo.com/62319450

Overalls All Over Again

For fresh style go to old trends with ‘traditional denim’ blue overalls.

 

Denims one of the textiles I have always had trouble sourcing in New Zealand. Perfect shade was so easy to find in Japan. Teamed with orange stitching around the pockets and back panel and you’re ready to kill it. Not to mention so comfortable, why the hell did these ever die out?

Oh yea, that’s why.

Contrast. Japan's weird fabric choices

The Japanese have a weird love for this fabric, it's a bit to 'wolf in sheep's clothing' for me, I think they like it just because it's blond. Embraced the madness and have been playing around with colours and textures.

Good Omens

Using light colours and bold prints on collared shirts to lighten things up for spring. It's been a long winter.

 

 

Production in Japan

It’s been a minute. Reason being I bought a sewing machine a few months ago. Also Japan has [if possible] too much inspiration, with its unique perception on design, styling and what's accepted in society [anything].

Wanted to head in a slightly different direction so have been working on new patterns and a new process in working out designs. Japan enables you to sew for creativity rather than need.

Wool blend

One: Reversible wool top with back zip, to be worn in autumn/spring as is and winter with a button up shirt underneath. One of the most tricky/head scratching/'so science'/technical things I’ve made; reversible things are hard, and I really only wear one side, why do I make it difficult.

 

 

Two: Pinafore. Using the same dark blue wool blend but with a bold tangerine shade of orange linen in the waist detailing.

Uemulo Munenoli

Uemulo Munenoli is a Japanese designer who's unique concept on the basic button up shirt is both boldly simple and inspiring. His brand concept and my adapted designs below.

Uemulo Munenoli

Uemulo Munenoli

Uemulo Munenoli

 

シャツライン “uemulo munenoli”
ホワイトシャツという静寂の中のジオメトリック。
音楽、カルチャーを含んだその時その時代を組み込んだ新しい造形。
シャツのカテゴリーを超えたコンセプチュアルなコレクション。

The pure silence of white shirts meets geometric sculptures.“Uemulo Munenoli”presents conceptual women’s shirt collection which is essentially inspired by contemporary Art, Music and Culture. His pieces are more than just a shirt. The combination of natural softness of the white shirts and his own distinctive geometric style creates a beautiful reaction.


Wonderex

Wonderex is a chain of Japanese second hand stores. I know what you’re thinking, opshops are over hyped and over trawled, this one’s different. Japan doesn't seem to have many second hand stores, I don't know where all their stuff goes, either horded up in their little houses or...wonderex.

Don't think of the typically New Zealand second hand store which either, A: where everything is under $5 and you have to wash the clothing at least five times before it smells wearable. or B: where the ridiculously priced clothing is all slightly strange, covered in bad repair jobs and there’s a few tasselled lamps in the corner. No, a Japanese second hand store like Wonderex is chocka block with bargains of clothing, furniture, electronics and sports equipment. The Japanese population have a very convenient habit of buying all the right gear, keeping it in pristine condition to only use it for one season.

So the first day of winter was on Saturday and it snowed while I was down in Mito. So I 'had' to go and buy this woollen extra thick, extra warm jumper (and a tropical shirt to go underneath because it’s sad that it’s not summer at Christmas and a bit of colour is always nice).

I actually got my couch from here. Crazy cheap because there’s no demand for couches when everyone sits on the floor. They even offer to deliver it to your house for a small fee, but if you prefer (which we did) you can just take their mini truck and deliver it yourself, no exchange of keys no need to sign a waiver just total trust.

So do yourself a favour and go have a wander at wonderex, or a second look if you’re already onto the magic.

Go Slow Caravan

Prepare yourselves for some redline levels of swag that only a Japanese label could pull off; Go Slow Caravan. Came across this label in a small menswear shop in Mito last weekend, and aside from the strange English name they give a unique and Japanese take on an outdoorswear clothing company. It has the typically Japanese vibe with the tendency to go wild out on the patterns and colour combinations. Check out some of my seasonal picks after the .

Note the contrasting back pockets, this seems to be a huge trend feature in Japan fashion; I want to say trend but it's so much more than that, it seems to have been around of awhile and looks like it's as common in design as putting buttons on a shirt.

There's loads to choose from with a wide range of products for both men and women, provided you have enough guts to pull the full look off. Japanese people seem to be born with an impeccable eye for layering and detailing and know just the right amount of crazy.

A few of the standouts for me were the new line of winter coats, playing with a quilted fabric in the body and a thick stiff wool weave in the arms in a more subdued colour range
(no pictures as yet ごめんなさい).

Otto: Hair & ∞

Literally just down 10 meters down the road, hidden away from the main streets is Otto Hair & ∞ (such an Asian name, hair & infinity). It looks like a super modern place (the staff are by far the coolest looking Japanese people I’ve seen) that’s seems to be open more for Friday night staff drinks than anything else. Planning on getting a treatment there next week, don’t know if I trust my Japanese translation skills to ask for a trim just yet.

haco. Magazine

One problem I have encountered in Japan is that they are hesitant to let you take photos of or inside the shops. I’ve seen so many things here but I can’t take any photos to show you. I’ve figured out my only choice is to buy everything right?

In the meantime here’s a shop that I can not only take pictures of, but take home as well. Bought the hazo. magazine in a little book store on my bike home from work. From what I can gather it’s kind of like Ezibuy but with an actually super sweet clothing line and a stella price range. So really the only similarity with NZ’s Ezibuy is that it is mail order. And it has a whole load of tartan and a separate Disney section; a Figaro skirt, don't mind if I do.

 

For now it’s serving as a little something to decorate the bare walls of my apartment, but if I can figure out the Japanese and order something I’m all over that.

Japan Fashion Week, Tokyo

This weekend just been was Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2013 S/S in Tokyo. I was tempted to go have a look but three Tokyo weekends in a row might not be to kind on the bank account. Highlight for me is the collection from JNBY with the rich colour palate and oh so easy drape.

JNBY 2013 S/S

JNBY 2013 S/S

Also beautiful people had a few bright yellow pieces that I'm lusting after.

Yoshio Kube is a quirky men's label that showed on the Wednesday, with a nice creative/masculine change on the classic runway.