The Secret Shopaholics Thread #6

[softgrey]

some more details if you are interested

1992 - 2002 yoichi nagasawa as director in charge of muji clothing line

2002 - 2005 kunio uehara as menswear chief designer
2002 - 2008 FW ( until 2009 spring) YY inc for overall supervision

2003 jack henry as art director for muji europe, womenswear and mens ( before JH it was wim neels, if I remember rightly, but could not find that info online)

muji labo was launched in 2006.
extensive renovation in 2012, and I think that was when they first publicized the name of the designer (that is, MH). maybe they needed to shore it up.
muji means "not high profile but attractive products" basically. so the involvement of YY was not announced officially back then (it's yohji himself that confirmed it afterwards). muji was originally a saison group (seibu, etc) -related project. so he could not decline the mission.

" There was one person who encouraged me to meet Kawakubo, Kazuko Koike. Koike is a famous creative director who participated in the launch of Muji with Ikko Tanaka and others under Seiji Tsutsumi, who was the leader of Saison Group. We were able to open shops at Seibu Department Store and Parco, thanks to Koike's support."

Rei Kawakubo, founder of Comme des Garçons: Yohji Yamamoto (14)

oh lord~!
what the heck?! a multi part interview with Yohji about his life story and work...?!?!
how many parts are there? 29?
oh man...
add that to the list of things to do...

thanks for all the info and links, etc @runner...

 

[runner]

I am officially impressed by all those designs posted to Fukasawa's website...
not a bad one in the bunch~!

I want his stool for emeco. it is available over here. but not the colored versions. it has to be green (this particular case, otherwise it has to be noncolored). I tried to import it but found it practically almost impossible for me to get it from US legit stores directly. so I might have to ask for your help in the future.



royal-furniture

 

[runner]

oh lord~!
what the heck?! a multi part interview with Yohji about his life story and work...?!?!
how many parts are there? 29?
oh man...
add that to the list of things to do...

thanks for all the info and links, etc @runner...

yes 29.
not interview but english translation of what he wrote in japanese.

 

[softgrey]

I want his stool for emeco. it is available over here. but not the colored versions. it has to be green (this particular case, otherwise it has to be noncolored). I tried to import it but found it practically almost impossible for me to get it from US legit stores directly. so I might have to ask for your help in the future.

View attachment 1219982

royal-furniture

as you wish...

 

[runner]

^ katajikenai!

 

[castorpollux]

My parents bought me this pocket organizer while they were in Paris....

louisvutton.com

 

[runner]

muji labo new spring stuff if Mullet is interested





muji

 

[perec4stor]

Cute Messenger Bag that reminds me the Keith Haring era!

 

[softgrey]

^ katajikenai!

oh my gosh...
i haven't heard that for so long...

 

[softgrey]

got these ~
They cover 1/2 my face...LOL...

by Folc

 

[runner]

that first pic of muji labo reminds me of jil sander mens SS99, the champagne colored nylon season

got these ~
They cover 1/2 my face...LOL...

by Folc

View attachment 1231346

like a scuba mask ?



ist

 

[softgrey]

OMG @runner !!



that is AMAZING


the scuba mask~!!



*sigh*
not so sure about this purchase but i'm going to just try wearing them and see how it goes...

 

[castorpollux]

My souvenir while visiting Rome's La Rinascente on Via del Tritone (it was ) earlier this week:

jumbo GG card case - Gucci

 

[runner]

got kié einzelgänger rayon silk scarf
black one

 

[runner]

@runner hey runner, didn't know where to ask this so I'll ask here because why pretend this doesn't come from aimeless shopping habits haha: several years ago, I read that Muji's Labo line, designed by Margaret Howell, was being discontinued. However, it doesn't seem to have ever really gone away. I assumed they were just getting rid of whatever they had left but I saw some stuff yesterday that is new and looked and felt like MH. Is she still designing this? it's so hard to find cause I'm like a toddler on Japanese fashion websites (a. can't read anything to save my life and b. I have no idea what I'm doing, basically just click on the pictures + everything and nothing ).

came across this:
at least for FW24, no outsourced design director
seems like they want muji labo to be more basic, simpler, of higher quality.

 

[ndedtchs]

@runner , have you felt any of the muji labo products in real life? i was looking at the fabrications of the majority of the items, and i'm a bit iffy on it. i do really enjoy the design of the clothes though

 

[MulletProof]

came across this:
at least for FW24, no outsourced design director
seems like they want muji labo to be more basic, simpler, of higher quality.

not Daisuke Obana anymore? someone mentioned him in the recent Margaret Howell thread in D&G.

I did notice the clothes look a bit more sportswear these days.. if that’s simpler and basic that sucks because I still remember the sharper, yummier stuff from Margaret and.. why ruin something that is good and that is kind of rare these days.

It’s been a few weeks but they had a lot of stuff at the store by Bryant Park but the sizing is crazier than ever.. so so GIANT while it’s still xs. I love oversized and they had a gorgeous brown blouse, so light and textured and perfect for hot weather but the sizing is just.. hospital robe territory.

 

[runner]

@runner , have you felt any of the muji labo products in real life? i was looking at the fabrications of the majority of the items, and i'm a bit iffy on it. i do really enjoy the design of the clothes though

yes I have of course. but these past few seasonsI have not been to muji's physical stores.
so I don't know anything about its most recent stuff.
you mean fabrications as seams, stitching, fabric quality, etc ?
it seems that they now want and try to improve those elements by means of only-their-own-apparel-team-without-any-particular-designer-director stratesy. they used the term "quiet luxury" all the way for this.

 

[runner]

not Daisuke Obana anymore? someone mentioned him in the recent Margaret Howell thread in D&G.

I did notice the clothes look a bit more sportswear these days.. if that’s simpler and basic that sucks because I still remember the sharper, yummier stuff from Margaret and.. why ruin something that is good and that is kind of rare these days.

It’s been a few weeks but they had a lot of stuff at the store by Bryant Park but the sizing is crazier than ever.. so so GIANT while it’s still xs. I love oversized and they had a gorgeous brown blouse, so light and textured and perfect for hot weather but the sizing is just.. hospital robe territory.

looked it up. daisuke obana said three weeks ago that he had resigned as muji labo director. officially SS24 is his last season.
once I did inquire of them who the designer. and they didn't tell. that's completely alright if it is their policy. but another season when they think it's convenient, they suddenly advertise the designer they hired. it's a bit too disjointed.

as explained above, they mean "quiet luxury" (I myself don't want to use the word though) by simpler more basic less designer clothes look. so I hope its sizing will get less crazy.
btw, there has been a label named comoli. although it's another designer brand, it's very consistent. sizing, fabric, design-wise.
they have sizes from 0 to 6 (as far as I know. there may be more). works as unisex just like muji labo.
and you might find something from comoli if you like muji labo. pricing is worse than labo while a lot better than yohji. very good quality.

shop staff member wearing comoli for reference
175cm, size3 (pants, shirt, top)



refnet

 

[Abracai]

Today I was in the center of Milan and I took a close look to stores and their traffic. It's not a proper proxy but here we go:

Hermès: huge queue, at least 5 times bigger than any other brand. They moved the queue under the shadow and you don't see it in front of the store. The display window it's not attractive and also sign above the entrance don't look very cool

Louis Vuitton: zero queue and unexpectedly low traffic in the Galleria retail where they have the best slot of all. Good traffic at La Rinascente wholesale. They are building a Lvmh only building in Montenapo and soon Kering will do the same.

Gucci: Small queue and ok traffic in Galleria, good traffic at La Rinascente with a curious mix of classy people and some chav. When I touched the materials I've noticed improved quality, maybe it's an impression. Very good traffic in the women/bags department.

Saint Laurent: queue in Galleria with good traffic inside, good traffic at La Rinascente

Dior: Biggest queue in Galleria, good traffic La Rinascente. Momentum seems very good.

Brunello: ok traffic at La Rinascente. Only mens, mostly wannabes entrepreneur type. A man with style looks cool with Brunello, a chav wannabe with Brunello looks even more chav wannabe imho

Bottega Veneta: not so great traffic at La Rinascente and in Galleria also where I've noticed a pair of beautiful women blue intrecciato trousers

Moncler: no queue whatsoever, zero traffic in Galleria, zero traffic also at Montenapo and La Rinascente. Also Stone Island retail totally empty.

Prada: small queue in Galleria, average traffic.

Balenciaga: unexpectedly very good traffic both in Rinascente mens and womens departments. Mostly asians. Friendly sales persons.

Ferragamo: low traffic at La Rinascente and a small SALE sign, some amazing shoes on display. Had a brief chat with the kind sales person: he noted a clear improvement in sales since May.

Alexander McQueen: low traffic. Honestly some sales person look uninterested in the bags women department. A smile and a welcome should be a must. In the men department there are new arrivals. I loved a shattered glass t shirt and I was almost buying it. Don't lynch me: I actually liked the new stuff. Sales lady told me sales are not close to pre covid levels

Burberry: low traffic, I've touched some items and I had a good quality impression. Friendly sale persons. I see unexpressed potential in the brand.