A good leather jacket is the investment piece to end all investment pieces. Like a white T-shirt or a pair of jeans, it can look punk, femme, James Dean, or Johnny Rotten. And it will only get better with age. Using innovative hand-done techniques, cult Tokyo brand Blackmeans creates some of the best around. Touching down at OC for the first time this season, the label traces its roots back to iconic Tokyo underground stores like 20471120, where many of the Blackmeans team cut their teeth. With studs, buckles, and painted panels, the designers embrace the DIY aesthetic of the crust-punk movement that originated in the UK, while developing Tokyo's own unique punk aesthetic. Check out the unisex pieces and our interview with the designers, below.
Shop all Blackmeans here.
Alice Newell-Hanson: Who is on the Blackmeans team?
Blackmeans: We are four designers: Yujiro Komatsu, Takatomo Ariga, Masatomo Ariga, and Tomoko Moriya.
You guys refer to yourselves as a "handcraft team." What makes your craft so unique?
We started as a craft team with a lot of designers, so we have always worked to create new techniques. Clients are always requesting brand-new techniques, which motivates us to develop new skills. We always enjoy trying [new things]!
Your aesthetic is definitely a punk aesthetic. Are there different subcultures of punk in Tokyo, and which does Blackmeans identify with?
We fall into the category that's mixed up with original Tokyo style, called "Japanese hardcore punk."
How does Tokyo punk differ from original strains of punk in say early-70s London and early-80s New York?
The common things are the power and an energy that is changed from a negative to a positive thing. It is the core concept of punk. Tokyo punk may not be as sophisticated as the original movement in the UK or US, because some of the essence has been mixed up, but we've developed a lot more characteristic styles.
The Blackmeans team met at 20471120, which was a super important store for Tokyo streetwear in the 90s. What was it like working there?
At that time, the brand was the most important avant-garde brand in the city. We experienced a lot of things that nobody else could. I'll never forget the fashion show that involved a helicopter....
Blackmeans now has its own cult following. You guys also have a studio for bands to play in, right?
Yes, a lot of bands come to the studio for practice, like ABNORMALS and HELLBENT. The underground punk scene in Tokyo has especially strong ties to the international punk [music] scene. It's about both a visual and a musical aesthetic.
Tokyo has so many incredible underground stores. Why is this such a phenomenon? And what are the most influential stores right now?
Young people are always coming up with new inspirations and ideas, and that helps keep the scene in Tokyo fresh. In addition, there are a lot of places where young people can easily express and share their ideas in Tokyo, like Harajuku in the old days. Although it's not really an underground store, I personally like a record shop called DISK UNION. You can enjoy the underground culture scene there through all the graphics on the record covers.
You've collaborated with G.V.G.V. and a lot of other Tokyo labels. What is your dream collaboration?
With the motorcycle brand Kawasaki! And with the traditional Japanese furniture company Iwayado Tansu, which has mo
Shop all Blackmeans here.
Alice Newell-Hanson: Who is on the Blackmeans team?
Blackmeans: We are four designers: Yujiro Komatsu, Takatomo Ariga, Masatomo Ariga, and Tomoko Moriya.
You guys refer to yourselves as a "handcraft team." What makes your craft so unique?
We started as a craft team with a lot of designers, so we have always worked to create new techniques. Clients are always requesting brand-new techniques, which motivates us to develop new skills. We always enjoy trying [new things]!
Your aesthetic is definitely a punk aesthetic. Are there different subcultures of punk in Tokyo, and which does Blackmeans identify with?
We fall into the category that's mixed up with original Tokyo style, called "Japanese hardcore punk."
How does Tokyo punk differ from original strains of punk in say early-70s London and early-80s New York?
The common things are the power and an energy that is changed from a negative to a positive thing. It is the core concept of punk. Tokyo punk may not be as sophisticated as the original movement in the UK or US, because some of the essence has been mixed up, but we've developed a lot more characteristic styles.
The Blackmeans team met at 20471120, which was a super important store for Tokyo streetwear in the 90s. What was it like working there?
At that time, the brand was the most important avant-garde brand in the city. We experienced a lot of things that nobody else could. I'll never forget the fashion show that involved a helicopter....
Blackmeans now has its own cult following. You guys also have a studio for bands to play in, right?
Yes, a lot of bands come to the studio for practice, like ABNORMALS and HELLBENT. The underground punk scene in Tokyo has especially strong ties to the international punk [music] scene. It's about both a visual and a musical aesthetic.
Tokyo has so many incredible underground stores. Why is this such a phenomenon? And what are the most influential stores right now?
Young people are always coming up with new inspirations and ideas, and that helps keep the scene in Tokyo fresh. In addition, there are a lot of places where young people can easily express and share their ideas in Tokyo, like Harajuku in the old days. Although it's not really an underground store, I personally like a record shop called DISK UNION. You can enjoy the underground culture scene there through all the graphics on the record covers.
You've collaborated with G.V.G.V. and a lot of other Tokyo labels. What is your dream collaboration?
With the motorcycle brand Kawasaki! And with the traditional Japanese furniture company Iwayado Tansu, which has mo