The Million Dollar question: what do skulls, tigers, hula dancers, white dragons, maps, elk, and passenger ships have in common?
Venture a guess?
If you speculated ‘things you think you see while your heavily intoxicated’……incorrect, but that was our first reaction too. If you guessed ‘traditional imagery stitched on the back of souvenir jackets’; you are correct and should seriously consider becoming a Jeopardy contestant.
This Spring, our Evisu Genes collection takes a trip to the warm, laid-back island of Okinawa. Okinawa is a small island located just off the coast of mainland Japan, in the south west. It is a veritable tropical paradise with the best white sand beaches, along with some strong seasonal rains and a few typhoons.
Okinawa was one of the first places occupied by the U.S. military. As a result, the culture on the island (while inherently Japanese) carries a distinct Western feel. For example, the bustling music scene incorporates traditional Okinawan instruments combined with American genres (rock, jazz, etc.). After World War 2 ended, American soldiers brought their jackets to Japanese tailors and had them embroider images on them to commemorate their tour of duty. These designs had a distinct Japanese feel to them – incorporating iconic, traditional Japanese motifs (dragons, tigers, etc.) and drawn in a stylized manner. Now, original jackets are collector’s items – not only for what they symbolized but also for their vibrant colorways and gaudy fabrics (silk & satin). Throughout our Spring 2009 collection we’ve used souvenir iconography. Everything from Japanese-inspired fonts to animal imagery are reinterpreted in a fresh, modern context. So make sure to check them out here and get an Evisu souvenir (or two) of your own!
No comments:
Post a Comment