This patchwork jacket from the Soloist has a decidedly grunge feel. It’s a canvas BDU military shirt design that’s been heavy edited with applied patchwork, zippers on each side of the garment that can vary the fit. With a slim streamlined appearance, pair it with won jeans and boots for a easy all day … Read more
The Soloist is bringing out an all white version of the Converse ERX 260. Reminiscent of the collaboration thatSoloist Designer Takahiro Miyashita did with Converse in the past when he created under the Number (N)ine label. A mix of full-grain leather with a thick rubber midsole and a puffy thick branded tongue. A zipper goes down the entire front of the show.
Available at SSENSE.
The designer of TheSoloist sits down with SSENSE coorespondent Tiffany Godoy and talks about pop culture his career and reflects on Number (N)ine. The interview also touches on his designs for his forthcoming FW18 collection which was previously covered HERE. As a big Number (N)one fan over the years, this has to be my favorite … Read more
After covering each show respectively, it’s time to take a closer look backstage. The joint theme connecting the two shows from Jun and Takahiro was the idea of Disorder/Order. Contrasting the two collections against each other, UC takes a much more youthful and streetwear oriented approach, while The Soloist show chooses to subvert traditional menswear. Click through to see more images and you can shop current season items from the brands at SSENSE and Idol.
Jun Takahashi and Takahiro Miyashita have long been friends and this year they got the chance to show their collections together earlier today at Pitti Uomo. The two designers agreed to a shared theme for their respective collections; an exploration of order and disorder. They had also consulted each other on the the mutual finale that saw a line of Takahiro’s models in black synthetic face an opposing line of models in white floor length pleated skirts emerge from Takahashi’s side It seemed that both their collections channeled an overall feeling of alienation and rebellion, Miyashita’s was much more focused on subverting traditional elements of men’s fashion.
He went down the list of menswear classics , incorporating things like houndstooth but kept them hidden or obscured by his avant garden nomadic looks. Many of the models wore layers of technical nylon items, decorated with bags and accessories. The runway looks gave the impression of armor, with oversized cloaks. The footwear consisted of tall boots and even traditional Japanese Geta (sandals). It was difficult to tell where one piece ended and another began but the effect was impressive; Miyashita was effective at drawing the audience into his world. In many ways the Soloist has been a brand that is more product than spectacle focused than Miyashita’s past work at Number (N)one, with his Fall/Winter 2018 collection however Miyashita showed that he could achieve both with one collection. Check out the rest of the looks after the jump.
Takahiro Miyashita named his spring/summer collection “Femme Fatale Fellow”. The idea behind the collection was to design the clothes that his dream woman would want to see him in. There is definitely a dark romantic air about this collection with Miyashita returning to his all-time muses – western clothes and rock n’ roll.
There is a also lot of Number (N)ine influence I see in the collection , in particular references from the ‘Noir’ collection. Perhaps Miyashita has returned to his archives to bring back some design concepts. In particular the cowboy shirts and blazers look particularly familiar. Another throwback comes with the homage to the late Kurt Cobain with the “We will always love you Kurt” text embellished onto the back portion of many garments.
Reminiscent of his work under Number (N)ine Takahiro Miyashita has once again designed a series of distressed sweaters. These thick knit sweaters are wool and cashmere and individually hand distressed. All three are available at Revive Michigan.
Designer Takahiro Miyashita releases images of his Fall/Winter 2016 collection under his label The Soloist. Once again he turns to rock stars as primary inspiration. Styles are named after the like of John Lennon, George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix, and Kurt Cobain. The assortment of looks recall moments from past Number (N)ine collections like Noir and A Closed Feeling. The pieces range from the fantastical to practical easy basics. Certain styles were crafted with usability in mind, patches on the legs and seats of jeans were designed for cycling. They were made to protect your seat and your trousers from the chain along with a detached waistband to hang your bike lock on. Certain Jackets are lined with PrimaLoft, a wind- and water-resistant fabric, combined with luxurious bits of cashmere and velvet. It’s good to see that Takahiro is thinking about about more than just making beautiful pieces, he’s making garments that provide function.
Takahiro Miyashita has never been the type of designer to rest on his laurels. If one thing has defined his design career, it has been his ability to constantly shift from season to season. From Number (N)ine, to this his 13th collection of the Soloist. While the DNA of his work remains vintage Americana filtered through a rock and roll viewpoint, it seems he has chosen to focus on sleeker cuts and a lot of monochrome looks this time around. Looking at the lookbook, it’s hard not to think Noel Gallagher, but fortunately the clothes seem much more relevant in 2015.
See more after the jump, and find current season Soloist stuff at Barney’s or HAVEN.
Somehow I missed the previous Foot the Coacher x the Soloist sneakers. Despite the highly questionable brand name, these sneakers take inspiration from vintage models and really stand out as a well done collaboration. There are elements of Takahiro’s design signatures , such as the asystmtrical lacing system. High quality suede, leather and mesh sit atop of Vibram soles.
Available now at Beams retailing ¥39,960.
