mastermind Japan is one of those brands that has a look that is decidedly Tokyo. Mastermind has always ridden the line between high fashion and Tokyo street for the fifteen years of it’s existence. The brand has continued to put a fob-centric and slightly gaudy signiture on it’s clothes; a signiture that channeled rebellious rock n roll attitude through a luxury lens usually reserved for men’s brands like Dior Homme. The craftsmanship and quality has always been there and it’s for that reason that the brand has collaborated on product with the likes of Undercover, BAPE, Stussy and Visvim.
While the brand is not known for doing runway shows, Mastermind went all out with a huge spring/summer collection this Tokyo Fashion Week entitled ‘Dreams’. The thing that stood out to me this collection were cuts of the pieces shown. I really love that both the outerwear and jeans/trousers strike a good balance between slim and slightly oversized. There’s some amazing detailing on many of the pieces and the line offers it’s own takes from everything from streetwear and technical outerwear to suiting to even some prep looks. For me the wallet chains paird with black trousers and styled with t-shirts really nail the look that mastermind has done over the years. Look for collaborations with Stussy, COMMES des GARCONS Black, MEDICOM TOY and Lowe
I believe that the popular men’s aesthetic is slowly moving away from the ultra-slim cuts of Hedi Slimane or Band of Outsiders. The fashionable guys out there will embrace a more volumous fit in coming seasons but that’s a matter for another post. Right now I just want to commend Honma Masaaki for staying true to one vision for this long and deciding to end the line while it is still relevant. I think it’s important for fashion creators to always adapt , change and at the end of the day sometimes that even mean’s letting go, and for Masaaki, what a way to go out. I’ll leave you with this quote about mastermind Japan’s logo.
The skull is part of me and means “Hold on to your dream until you die”. To that end, I will continue to do just that.
-Honma Masaaki
See more looks after the jump
