MONITALY AT PITTI UOMO 85

omfg those are smiley faces. want even more!



gdl203 said:

That's not a shawl collar, it's a smiley scarf styled on top of the smiley parka

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Holy....seriously? No wonder I couldn't figure out how the hell it worked. Sorry guys. Style it that way and the effect's the same, though!

I had the same reaction when I saw it in Florence. I asked what it was and Yuki just pulled the two pieces apart...

You can see the back of it on the rack on one of teger's shots

I love that dude btw. Just the nicest guy



thegreatgatsby said:

Can someone explain to me the appeal of these clothes?

Yes, they exude something different --- they bring Japanese sensibilities to Western clothing (perhaps), but even as I write that blurb, I find myself asking --- do they really?

I'm a sartorialist, and I love clothes (and design, and details), but other than the cargo pants, I can't see one other piece of clothing that I'd steal, pay retail for, buy on ebay for a dramatically reduced price, or even buy when thrifting. In fact, I wouldn't even take these clothes from the Salvation Army free box.

Am I alone in my confoundedness?

How would I even explain this line to someone...?

Mongolian hipster meets hobo samurai???

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I'm not trying to sound like an asshole or be antagonistic, but does your sartorial point of view and enjoyment exist solely in relation to clothing you yourself would wear? And everything else is confounding?

That post was made before Teger added his shots, but if there's literally nothing you can appreciate in this collection, I'd question the breadth of your use of "sartorialist." If you love clothing and design and details, then there's plenty to love here.

I probably couldn't pull off lots of these items--let alone afford many of them. But that doesn't mean I can't appreciate and enjoy them on numerous levels. Some for their sheer whimsical absurdity (Who could actually wear that patchwork suit?) and some for their simple yet effective take on a often seen piece--that blanket stripe DB wool coat for example.

Isn't part of the point of loving clothes finding things to appreciate and love about lots of things well outside what we might be inclined to actually buy/wear?

Look at dude's username and his avatar. That should tell you all you need to know...

I've always admired the Monitaly pieces I've seen. Now I think it's a competition between then and Kapital for the INSANE COAT WHICH I WILL BUY BEFORE I LEAVE JAPAN...



oboy_oboy said:

I'm not trying to sound like an asshole or be antagonistic, but does your sartorial point of view and enjoyment exist solely in relation to clothing you yourself would wear? And everything else is confounding?

That post was made before Teger added his shots, but if there's literally nothing you can appreciate in this collection, I'd question the breadth of your use of "sartorialist." If you love clothing and design and details, then there's plenty to love here.

I probably couldn't pull off lots of these items--let alone afford many of them. But that doesn't mean I can't appreciate and enjoy them on numerous levels. Some for their sheer whimsical absurdity (Who could actually wear that patchwork suit?) and some for their simple yet effective take on a often seen piece--that blanket stripe DB wool coat for example.

Isn't part of the point of loving clothes finding things to appreciate and love about lots of things well outside what we might be inclined to actually buy/wear?

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Perhaps what I'm responding to about the collection is the utter lack of utility that these clothes suggest.

I don't have to want to wear the clothes to appreciate them --- but I do need to see that someone, other than a manga or anime character, could successfully wear the item in public.

Clothes are meant to be worn - they're not art alone. The patchwork pieces in this collection are reminiscent of American folk art (hence the hobo reference).

A wise man on this post said, "all you need to know about this guy you can tell by his avatar" (my avatar being a pic of Robert Redford as Gatsby), but I think I've offered some actual insight when I've posted. I don't just take shots. I'm genuinely interested in the posters' reactions to this collection. There is simply no one here who has offered why Monitaly's offerings are good, or wonderful, or stylish. I just see comments that say things like, "I would steal that," or "it's an insane coat," or "I want them even more."

I like clothes by Junya Watanabe just as much as I like clothes by Ralph Lauren. Why? Because Junya Watanabe actually considers things like tailoring and fit when he designs a piece - as well as wear-ability. As does Ralph Lauren. Watanabe is also wildly imaginative, but manages to consider the end user. I see no evidence of those qualities here in Monitaly's collection.

If the posters (who are fans of this collection) like it --- and think the collection has something to offer to the clothes-wearing public...please talk about why. Synth writes: This collection is "perfect for all of your mysterious forest-guru-on-a-motorcycle needs; and a shawl-collar blazer-cardigan that resembled the offspring of a smoking jacket, a carpet, and a bathrobe. It defied adjectives – or perhaps it encompassed all adjectives at once. I’m not even entirely sure what it was, but the urge to stuff it in my bag and run away was suffocating."

That sound like an indictment of the clothes, not an endorsement.

You posted your initial reaction after Synthese's pics but before Teger's pics. Do you still feel the same after seeing the other pics?

Synth's picks we're sharply edited, down to showing only the more directional pieces in the collection. 80% of the Monitaly stuff is more toned down and very wearable actually. Teger's pics show racks of very wearable garments.

Yuki uses great fabrics, produces everything in the US with a very Japanese attention to detail - every snap, button, zip and pull string is jut right. And at the end of the day, he tries to make garments that are not out of reach financially. He's the polar opposite of PRL or other mall brands who use their marketing prowess to push products that photograph nicely but are poorly made in LCC, from materials chosen primarily because of their photogeny/cost ratio and cutting corners everywhere while still pricing it at stupid levels so that everyone can feel awesome when they put it at 70% discount (+ 10% extra just for you like it says on the email or little postcard...).

He's just an honest designer putting out quality product.

Thank you for that.

I went on Yoox hoping to see more of Monitaly's offerings, but there is only a single shirt for sale.

Time to go directly to the source to see more pieces.

Best!

Thanks for the above from both of you. Hat tip, et al.

A lot of what Monitaly does is very wearable, as gdl said. And the fabrics / construction are excellent.

I have some military-ish pants from Monitaly in an olive cotton ripstop fabric. Being quite loose cut and very lightweight they are great for warmer weather and I spent most of last summer in them. The fabric has worn in and aged nicely. Perhaps my favorite thing about them are the pockets: they are deep for starters, but also the pocket bags are made of chambray, which feels great every time I put my hand in my pocket. Obviously chambray pockets are a detail that isn't really visible - Only the wearer can appreciate them (or the detailed interior construction for that matter) - to everyone else they are just a fairly ordinary looking olive green pant.

One piece I like is the rider coat. It looks a very solid practical coat, and the western stylings and snap fastenings are a little more interesting than a bog ordinary pea jacket.

I am a fan of the rider coat ---

It looks more like a felt/flannel fabric than a heavy wool (which is unusual - and I would think much more comfortable to wear than traditional pea coats). Perhaps it's worsted wool?

And now that I see this piece, I wonder how slim cut it is (it looks so angular that is appears laser cut - as in - there's no extra fabric to let out). The days are over when I could wear Heidi Slimane. I have one Slimane coat (for Dior) that I can't get into --- I bust of out of the shoulders, and the waist suppression is uncomfortable.

For anyone who has worn Monitaly --- would you suggest sizing up?

(I ask, largely because when I buy something it will be through the mail)

I'm a true to size 38R in a blazer, and a 40R in an overcoat.

PS -

While I was surprised by the plaid patchwork creations from Monitaly, I was oddly drawn to this Ovadia & Sons blazer. I like the shoulders, I like the drape, and the flash of tartan, but it seems a bit schizophrenic at the same time. I wonder if it's the kind of blazer that is worn one time and then relegated to the back of the closet. [It's sold out, by the way - this is more of a question about buying statement pieces, and the risk that O & S took vs. the risk that Monitaly has taken here with parts of its Pitti 85 collection).


http://www.mrporter.com/product/379952

I +1 the ridiculousness of the patchwork suit. Whimsical absurdity isn't an accomplishment if it looks like that. To gatsby's credit, the initial post only showcased some (in my view) silly items. My handle and avatar should tell you all you need to know...

More on Monitaly and designer Yuki Matsuda:

http://nomanwalksalone.tumblr.com/post/98233305336/interview-with-yuki-matsuda-of-monitaly-by



unbelragazzo said:

More on Monitaly and designer Yuki Matsuda:

http://nomanwalksalone.tumblr.com/post/98233305336/interview-with-yuki-matsuda-of-monitaly-by

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Nice link