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!
One highlight of the new Spring collection is the Typhoon Wash Regular Fit jean. After carefully observing the garments of washed up surf bums, a few Youtube video’s on tropical storms, and 52 hours laying on the beach and getting waited on by men and women in sarongs: we cobbled together our “Typhoon Wash”. With its realistic wear pattern, plethora of minute tears and abrasion, repair stitching, and muddy green-cast: this model is a Denim Maniacs’ dream. Apart from being generally great-looking, these jeans mark the introduction of selvage denim to the Genes line. These jeans pass the looks test with flying colors – literally. Echoing the Okinawa theme, we use an exclusive ‘Rainbow’ selvage line (aqua, yellow, and orange) to represent a tropical palette. Perfect to show off when you turn them up when wading into warm waters or just relaxing with a cold Kirin Ichiban at the park.Tags: Japan, Jeans
Related Posts:
