Junya Watanabe

thanks for this johnny. I wonder what rei thinks...?

 

I had no idea. I always thought that everyone loved Junya's mens stuff. I loved his debut collection with the cheesy poetry printed across the day-glo shirts and pants. And his collaboration with Lewis Leathers in 2003 resulted in two very cool collections. But Spring 2005 was definitely a bit out there.

That's quite sad. I'd hate for Junya to start sending grey sweaters and black pants down the runway every season. Five years ago these collections of his would have sold like hotcakes. I think people are just in a more conservative mood now.

 

thanks for the input johnny, i actually share your friend's views on Junya, apart from the genius Guerilla concept Comme and Junya actually need some 'renovation' in artistic direction.

regardless both fashion houses' design value, personally i've been bored with the same attitude for some seasons now, it somehow looks
repetitive and 'done'

 

I think it's totally fine to work in the same vein, as long as you are not doing carbon copies. It's sort of like a writer having a writing style. Ann Dem and Helmut Lang are two examples that come to mind. who've been doing just fine working in the same vein. Actually, I think there is a sort of creativity there which is harder to maintain than by throwing dust in the eyes by jumping all over the place. However, I agree that with Rei has been doing it without that creativity. Actually I think Junya's women's line is incredible and very creative. I think his man's line has been hit and miss so far, some incredible seasons and some not so good ones, however always a covetable piece or two in each. I think FW 2004/5 will be a HUGE hit in stores. S/S 2005 is definitely the weakest season I've seen from Junya so far. But everyone is allowed a bad season, no?

 

i don't know if we're talking about strictly menswear here...but i think the womenswear has been exceptional for the past two or three seasons and have bought more of it than ever before in my life...it feels like comme going back to its roots in the eighties when i fell in live with them in the first place...same with yohji...
and i think junya has been extraordinary since 9/11 especially...but i am speaking only of womenswear...as i am not as familiar with the menswear...

although...i will say that the ex consistently bought yohji, comme and junya in the past three years...and it was all very classic and wearable pieces...nothing funky like what's been on the runway...

 

Heh, wait till we go to the museum

 

uh oh!...are we having a fashion show?...might as well...right?!?!...haha

 

Isn't that every day?! Do you have anything from the parachute collection? My wife was doing for something from that collection, but his sizing

 

i have a blk parachute top...i think it's on yoox now... ...but i love it...i got it at IF last year...maybe i'll wear it to the museum...should we try for this weekend?...

 

I PMed you

 

of course everyone is entitled to one, two or more bad seasons, plus personal style is fine in my book , STILL i'm somehow getting bored when people that used to amaze me start making me yawn.. its only a presonal thing i guess, but to me the Japanese 'masters' are far too repetitive to keep up with times.
even though their work remains fab, it's somehow out of tune with 'real life' there was a time when Rei & Junya were uber 'modern' but for me, this 'feeling' seems lost under the formula of experimentation.
Times are changing, life and fashion is changing, still both Rei & Junya seem far to enclosed in their 'esthetic bubble' to make their work relative and modern.
It's only my personal opinion, absolutely no universal truth..

 

Thanks Johnny for the topic. I think the Junya menswear sometimes lacks the excitement that always follows his women collections. I am suprised that the AW 04 doesn't make it to the store. This is one of his best so far imo and I could happily wear those little jackets and slim trousers if I could afford them

I think this SS05 collection is quite "sarcastic". Does anybody need a designer mountain back pack? (He is already selling army backpacks at the Happy Army Store.) The collection didn't show any tailoring. (Who will wear those embroidered shirts to work?) I just hope that his use of fabrics will be exceptional.

If Junya is re-doing "mountain" for completely new customers, I doubt that people who love mountain hiking will ever care about the label on their clothes. I am also a bit tired of seeing tshirts with J and W badges. It seems so out of Comme's philosophy. I think the Guerrilla concept might create a huge interest in the label but the score is to introduce Comme free spirit in making fashion. If people will only buy "hyped" tshirts, it's hopeless.

As for CdG I also think their last women collections are exceptional. These are the Comme things made to the N-power. Love them. And the clothes are said to be very wearable, too. I think that Comme can't stop experimenting. It's their quintessence.

 

Why?

£410, Junya Watanabe:

 

£60, Timberland

 

NO LOGO......




reverse snobbery...

 

It sure is an an expensive joke...

 

Different materials, maybe? Is that standard suede leather on the JW version, or is that something else? It looks kind of velvety.

I have a pair of the Fred Perry CdG table tennis shoes, which are essentially a normal pair of the standard FP table tennis shoes, but made out of corduroy, and with appliques of suede and white rubber to enhance the look. I wouldn't have paid 410 GBP for them, but they're sufficiently unique to justify a premium over the standard version.

Maybe it's a similar approach here.

Or, maybe you really are just paying for no logo.