{"id":2249,"date":"2014-10-27T14:45:48","date_gmt":"2014-10-27T13:45:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wakapedia.it\/?p=2249"},"modified":"2017-06-23T19:35:15","modified_gmt":"2017-06-23T17:35:15","slug":"undercover","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wakapedia.it\/en\/undercover\/","title":{"rendered":"UNDERCOVER Jun Takahashi\uff08\u30a2\u30f3\u30c0\u30fc\u30ab\u30d0\u30fc\uff09"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"mr.T<\/a>

Jun Takahashi<\/p><\/div>\n

Designer Jun Takahashi<\/a><\/strong> is a big deal. From humble beginnings in the lush mountainous of Gunma in Japan he now operates on the global stage with annual collections at Paris plus mainstream collaborations with Nike<\/a> <\/strong>and Uniqlo<\/a><\/strong>. But it all started with the fashion brand UNDERCOVER<\/strong>, \u00a0which he founded together with Ichinose Hironori, while still studying at the Bunka Fashion College<\/a><\/strong>, Tokyo. Momentum behind UNDERCOVER really began to take hold in 1993<\/strong>, when young Jun teamed up with everyone\u2019s favourite purveyor of primate couture Nigo <\/a><\/strong>to open up a store called NOWHERE<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

It turns out the \u2018Nowhere\u2019 is actually in the trendy Tokyo district of Harajuku<\/strong> (coolest fashion area), and with the support of the founder of A Bathing Ape, things started to pick-up for UNDERCOVER<\/strong>. With his unique worldview and cutting-edge style, he garnered fierce support amongst young people, and was a front-runner during the 90s UraHara movement,<\/strong> a movement based in the very same area of Harajuku. He made his Paris debut in the Spring\/Summer Collection in 2003<\/strong>, following up with annual appearances ever since. In 2010<\/strong>, he announced a collaboration with Nike entitled GYAKUSOU<\/a><\/strong>. In 2013<\/strong>, he collaborated with Uniqlo to create UU, which rolled out across 11 markets.<\/p>\n

\"undercover-comp-1\"<\/a>

Fashion Show UNDERCOVER Women<\/p><\/div>\n

WAKAPEDIA’s JUN TAKAHASHI<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"IMG_2047\"<\/a>

Jun Takahashi & SaraWaka<\/p><\/div>\n

SaraWaka was introduced to Jun in the Parisian night-spot Club Silencio<\/a><\/strong> by her half-French-half-Japanese friend Ben<\/a><\/strong>. Apparently, in lieu of a simple enchant\u00e9, her first words to poor Jun were drawn from some old hippy dictionary or something: \u201cI feel such a strong connection to you all\u2026\u201d It had been one of those nights. With that not kicking the conversation into action, SaraWaka resorted to online-dating 101 questions such as: \u201cSo\u2026 what do you do for work\u2026? What brings you to Paris\u2026?\u201d It was as interesting as it sounds, like two awkward overseas students on their first ever trip to a night-club.<\/p>\n

Looking back, she does kind of regret asking such a bland question of a world-class designer, but you have to start somewhere, right? Her regrets don\u2019t stop there: her next move was to – again apparently – rub the beautiful bald head of Go, Jun\u2019s business partner. Who hasn\u2019t done that, right? Right?!!? Just another night that clearly illustrates to SaraWaka\u2019s friends that perhaps a little longer in the straight-edged Japanese education system might have done just a little good.<\/p>\n

Wakapedia\u2019s team were also invited to the UNDERCOVER Presentation Spring\/Summer Collection 2015.<\/strong> The space was packed and with Radiohead frontman – and friend of Jun\u2019s – Thom Yorke<\/a><\/strong>, performing DJ duties for the night, the space was buzzing. The crowd ranged from chief editors of top fashion rags to newbie designers, with Jun being gracious to all. I still remember the way Jun looked that night, like His Holy Father Pope Francisco<\/a><\/strong> himself greeting the faithful, both rich and poor, one by one. (SaraWaka: You wouldn\u2019t get a metaphor as good as that from the Japanese education system xxx)<\/p>\n

\"undercover-comp-3\"<\/a>

UNDERCOVER presentation SS 2015 MEN’S with Wakapedia’s team<\/p><\/div>\n

SaraWaka:<\/strong> Jun! Wassap? How are you?<\/p>\n

Jun:<\/strong> Hey hey hey, let\u2019s take this seriously. [giggles]<\/p>\n

SaraWaka:<\/strong> I am taking it seriously, so relax! Wakapedia has a casual vibe, but we do interviews properly! Our billions of readers seem to like it so far [another giggle].<\/p>\n

Jun:<\/strong> Okay, understood [strained giggle]<\/p>\n

SaraWaka:<\/strong> We\u2019ll start with a rather vanilla question: what type of brand is UNDERCOVER<\/a><\/strong>?<\/p>\n

Jun:<\/strong> Hmmm\u2026. [silence]\u2026 that\u2019s a rather abstract question\u2026The actual brand concept is the output of the image I have in my head as each season comes around, so in that sense it changes<\/strong>. I\u2019m from Tokyo, so I mix my own street style and music with lots of different concepts and create something new. Things that I want to do or are interested in become inspirational. So the brand is equal to what\u2019s in my head<\/strong>. Kinda.<\/p>\n

SaraWaka:<\/strong> In other words, UNDERCOVER is the physical manifestation of what\u2019s in your mind?<\/p>\n

\"IMG_2125\"<\/a>

“cherry clutch” @jonio_takahashi<\/p><\/div>\n

Jun:<\/strong> Yeah, that\u2019s about right. Whatever the concept, I want to bring it to life in a number of different ways. So if we have the theme of elegance<\/strong> for example, behind that we have the grotesque or the insane, and I want to express them as well.<\/p>\n

SaraWaka:<\/strong> True, in this show also you have this almost angelic cuteness coupled with darkness, reminiscent of the Black Swan<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Jun:<\/strong> Yes. This time we start with an innocent object, all bright and sparkly; by the end the gloss had disappeared. The concept is that of a woman who experiences a lot and becomes stronger for it.<\/p>\n