Junya Watanabe

[Johnny]

I was speaking yesterday to a buyer from a UK store that stocks JW, CDG, Yohji, Margiela etc. She had just come back from the shows and the showrooms and was telling me that she has stopped buying Junya, and in fact didn't buy any of the winter collection either. She said that she couldn't think of any of her male customers who would actually be able to wear any of those short, small suits without their mates laughing at them. (I know this is not always a valid concern, but ultimately most guys don't want to feel completely stupid when they're wearing thier clothes - I know that I take it into account, althoug soetimes I wish I didn't.) She also indicated that one of the comme staff that she knows well hinted that she should "tell Junya" about her reasons for not buying. The implication was that comme knew that it wasn't really working.

I know that HN in London also stopped doing Junya this summer and only did a few pairs of jeans last winter. Also CDG in London were finding it difficult to seel this summer's collection.

I have to say I like some of the stuff from this summer, and have a couple of jackets (sorry, I know I've mentioned this before) but do share the doubts on the whole. In particular the summer 05 collection just seems daft to me. A pastiche hyper-styled collection of outdoor clothing in bright colours. It's too themed. The theme overtakes the integrity of the product I think. It also seems so far removed from the comme thing, and his own women's wear line.

Anyway just though I'd share the chat/my thoughts!

 

[helena]

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

 

[Johnny]

Originally posted by helena@Jul 20 2004, 06:17 AM
thanks for this johnny. I wonder what rei thinks...?

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You're welcome Helena. That's a good question actually.

 

[metal-on-metal]

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.

 

[Lena]

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'

 

[faust]

Originally posted by Lena@Jul 20 2004, 08:48 AM
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'

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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?

 

[softgrey]

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...

 

[faust]

Originally posted by softgrey@Jul 20 2004, 11:42 AM
...and it was all very classic and wearable pieces...nothing funky like what's been on the runway...

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Heh, wait till we go to the museum

 

[softgrey]

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

 

[Johnny]

Originally posted by softgrey@Jul 20 2004, 11:42 AM
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...

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I suppose I was talking about menswear only. I think his womanswear is just about my favorite right now (except the current SS range - not so strong I think). I think the winter collection with the bubble jacket capes etc looks great. And last winters stuff with the distressed tweed was amazing. I just don't get the menswear sometimes. I would love to see him do a mens' collection with the same "sensibility" as his woman's line. His approach to menswear is, as he's said himself, the opposite from his womanswear. He wants to do existing garments in a new but "authentic" way. Sometimes it works (the levis jackets were good I think) but other times I wonder why and I can't see how he can keep it going. It seems unecessarily restrictive. I think that's why the mountaineer look is so contrived. I just don't understand why he neds to reinvent that. People wear levis jackets, so yes I understand the validity in looking at them again and doing them in diff fabrics etc, but climbing ropes!? Why?

 

[faust]

Originally posted by softgrey@Jul 20 2004, 11:48 AM
uh oh!...are we having a fashion show?...might as well...right?!?!...haha

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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

 

[softgrey]

Originally posted by faust@Jul 20 2004, 04:39 PM
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

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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?...

 

[faust]

Originally posted by softgrey@Jul 20 2004, 04:42 PM
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?...

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I PMed you

 

[Lena]

Originally posted by faust@Jul 20 2004, 05:34 PM
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.

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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..

 

[nqth]

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.

 

[PrinceOfCats]

Why?

£410, Junya Watanabe:

 

[PrinceOfCats]

£60, Timberland

 

[softgrey]

NO LOGO......




reverse snobbery...

 

[PrinceOfCats]

NO LOGO......




reverse snobbery...

It sure is an an expensive joke...

 

[The Baron]

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.