Who? Japanese designer Jun Takahashi of Under Cover has been hailed as one of Japan's most promising newcomers. The 33-year-old designer has won just about every fashion award that his home country has to offer and made his long-awaited European debut last year when he unveiled his ready-to-wear collection in Paris in October.
How did it happen? Few details are available about this famously reclusive designer. What we do know is that he attended fashion design school in Japan and launched his first collection in 1994 when he opened his flagship boutique in a garage in the backstreets of Tokyo's Harajuku area.Takahashi received the New Designer Award in 1997.
What do the clothes look like? Takahashi's designs exude a maniacal edge that differs noticeably from the lyrical and poetically nostalgic works of his Japanese predecessors Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto. Taking the idea of deconstruction to a cutting-edge level, the Under Cover angst-ridden collection features a range of chicly shredded jackets, loosely stitched and sutured anarchist T-shirts and slogan emblazoned separates with dangling zips and chains that draw heavy references to Harajuku's punk subculture. For his latest spring/summer 2004 collection, Takahashi showed his creations on pairs of identical twin models who marched down the runway in similar outfits.
What does the designer have to say? Fashion critics have often regarded Takahashi as more of a 'fashion DJ' than an original style visionary because of his playful mix of existing streetwear style and subcultural uniforms. To that, the camera shy designer is quick to respond: 'Now, I am more of a designer than a DJ. I'm looking more to myself for inspiration.'
Where is the label available? Under Cover is available in Hong Kong at Joyce boutique.