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from JC report
The Viridi-anne is a small Japanese label that's beginning to make very big waves in the international menswear arena. Started in 2001 by Tomoaki Okaniwa, the brand has gained a well-earned reputation for its use of superb material, craftsmanship and style. Viridi-anne is one of a growing number of menswear brands from Japan—including Julius and N. Hoolywood—that are beginning to make headlines both at home and abroad.
For his spring/summer '09 collection, "Breathe," the ever-innovative Okaniwa focused on a different way of presenting his designs. The six-person design team collaborated on a special film installation that was first shown in Paris earlier this summer and then again in Tokyo's Aoyama Studios. Inspired by Japanese visual creators Shimurabros, the conceptual film installation (loosely based on slapstick comedy) marked another way in which the visionary label stands out from the crowd.
The esoteric designs were born out of Okaniwa's dissatisfaction with the clothes he saw around him. Although coming from a fine arts background, he began to make apparel that embodies an aesthetic motto of "quiet and strong." Of this duality in the s/s '09 collection, Okaniwa explains: "On the outside the designs are simple, but inside they are really strong, complex and comfortable."
The installation was shown only hours before the exclusive opening reception for the new Viridi-anne flagship store in Minami-Aoyama. Moving from the popular and touristy Harajuku to the more mature and sophisticated Aoyama can be seen as a bold statement of intent. The new store—which Okaniwa designed himself—is seen as "necessary" in order to have a more "recognizable look and position in fashion." Located on a quiet and unassuming backstreet, the compact black box structure packs a punch with elegant lighting and glass covered installations, including a suspended leather jumpsuit. The designer stated that he wanted to create a store like "an original museum"—unique and incomparable, much like his designs.
With artist collaborations, global stockists, a beautiful new Tokyo flagship and a first class fall/winter '08 collection now for sale, Viridi-anne is a serious player that's here to stay.
The Viridi-anne is a small Japanese label that's beginning to make very big waves in the international menswear arena. Started in 2001 by Tomoaki Okaniwa, the brand has gained a well-earned reputation for its use of superb material, craftsmanship and style. Viridi-anne is one of a growing number of menswear brands from Japan—including Julius and N. Hoolywood—that are beginning to make headlines both at home and abroad.
For his spring/summer '09 collection, "Breathe," the ever-innovative Okaniwa focused on a different way of presenting his designs. The six-person design team collaborated on a special film installation that was first shown in Paris earlier this summer and then again in Tokyo's Aoyama Studios. Inspired by Japanese visual creators Shimurabros, the conceptual film installation (loosely based on slapstick comedy) marked another way in which the visionary label stands out from the crowd.
The esoteric designs were born out of Okaniwa's dissatisfaction with the clothes he saw around him. Although coming from a fine arts background, he began to make apparel that embodies an aesthetic motto of "quiet and strong." Of this duality in the s/s '09 collection, Okaniwa explains: "On the outside the designs are simple, but inside they are really strong, complex and comfortable."
The installation was shown only hours before the exclusive opening reception for the new Viridi-anne flagship store in Minami-Aoyama. Moving from the popular and touristy Harajuku to the more mature and sophisticated Aoyama can be seen as a bold statement of intent. The new store—which Okaniwa designed himself—is seen as "necessary" in order to have a more "recognizable look and position in fashion." Located on a quiet and unassuming backstreet, the compact black box structure packs a punch with elegant lighting and glass covered installations, including a suspended leather jumpsuit. The designer stated that he wanted to create a store like "an original museum"—unique and incomparable, much like his designs.
With artist collaborations, global stockists, a beautiful new Tokyo flagship and a first class fall/winter '08 collection now for sale, Viridi-anne is a serious player that's here to stay.