Joints and Cheese: 2012-02-12

Mr. Yo Shitara is a fashion designer based out of the Harajuku district in Tokyo. His brand, called 'The Beams' is well known both nationally and globally. I found out about him and did some research on Shitara after I read an interview on him in the latest Mr. Porter Weekly Journal. The Beams, whose corporate tag-line is 'Happy Life Solution Company', seems to be reflective of our cultural times. It is a known-fact that Japan is extremely Western-influenced and in this interview Shitara describes his new weekend wear brand, "Beams Plus," as "inspired by classic American casual clothes, the style of President John F Kennedy and the life of Mr Ernest Hemingway, in particular." That is not to see he isn't tuned in with his national culture--his office, as shown in this interview, is a carefully curated space that one could spend time going from object to object and observing the curiosities Shitara has obtained over his lifetime. When asked about his collection of objects in his office, Shitara replied, "My collection transcends genre, nationality or historical background. Although it seems chaotic it's a mirror of the times." This is a great quote because it reflects on the current cultural state we are in. A Japanese fashion designer, whom has obviously partaken an interest in Western culture and ideas, has realized that our 'times' is one that you can't define in a particular genre. There is so much out there find that why would you limit your interests to just one particular field? Just a thought I had when reading his interviews. The links below are the sources I have used for this article as well as some of my favorite Beams clothing items/accesories I found on their Roppongi Store blog. Check it out.