Fashion Dissertations

Cross posting from my menswear blog Riveting

A friend asked me the other day if I could’ve started any clothing brand, which one would I choose. For me, it’s probably the Japanese label, Visvim.

Hiroki, the founder and creative director, travels around the world learning traditional textile and clothing techniques from artisans. Then using what he’s learned, he creates a piece or a collection from the ground up. Each drop is accompanied by a written dissertation that he shares on Visvim’s blog. It’s almost like he goes through a mini-PhD program for each release. For example, I shared this piece on my blog awhile back on Visvim’s dissertation on Doro-Zome, the Japanese technique of Mud-Dyeing originally used to dye Kimonos a rich black color.

I love Hiroki’s approach of studying and understanding a tradition then reimagining it in a way that still honors the past.

After reading and writing about fashion for a while, that’s what I’m drawn to as well. I love unpacking the origins, asking “why,” and deconstructing pieces in my own way.

Anyways, onto this week’s fashion five!