Saturday, October 10, 2009

Knit Wit: The Energy of Kansai Yamamoto


Kansai Yamamoto may be one of Japan's less talked about designers to rise to fame in the 70's & 80's, dressing the likes of David Bowie on his Aladdin Sane tour & The Blitz kids, but to us at Vnyc, the bold vision of his label still makes it one of the most collectible today. We adore his energetic, flamboyant knits, military references and bold use of saturated color, and every time we do come across a Kansai score, we are always floored by everything's contemporary appeal. Yamamoto's pieces were all so far ahead of their time & inventive that they not only seem highly inspirational but also totally relevant as they showcase his uncanny wit with western-inspired sportswear and to us, prove that he basically paved the way for contemporary sportswear. He mixed the era's vibrant street culture with his Japanese roots and came up with clothing that was not only functional, but also highly decorative. You can credit Yamamoto for bringing screen printing to the forefront of sportswear by screen printing knit wear, for using appliques, and military patches, pockets and accoutrements for the first time.

In a few weeks we will be debuting one of our favorite Kansai Yamamoto scores on the shop's site, its a fantastic rainbow and tribal print reversible sweater coat that'll cheer you up on even the grayest of days.

From top: 70's era editorial shot(unknown), David Bowie performing in Kansai circa 70's, and our own 80's Kansai Yamamoto Canary Sports Jacket-$338

To shop our Kansai Yamamoto click here.

No comments: