When I walked by the STeVeN TACH display area at the Collective Showroom, the first thing that caught my eye was the promotional imagery. If you look at the pictures from the S/S13 collection on this page, you can see that a rocky, ocean-side location was used. I was instantly reminded of Ireland, in particular the rugged west coast. The clothing seemed to fit the image perfectly - functional, wearable and a little bit mythic. I was intrigued to the point where I wasn't actually sure if was actually a Japanese brand or not. Somehow it had captured, from my point of view, a strong sense of Europe. Luckily, the designer was on-hand to answer all my questions.
The STeVeN TACH brand was launched in 2011 with the first collection appearing for A/W12-13. Inspired by nature, the brand produces both menswear and womenswear, shoes, bags and accessories. Although many of the pieces have a definite Western feel, STeVeN TACH remains connected to Japan by using carefully selected leather from tanneries in Himeji. It's a brand ready to move beyond Asia though. The designer himself can speak English and the excellent website is written in both English and Japanese, while making use of topical platforms such as Tumblr.
The Philosophy of STeVeN TACH
"Plants, Animals, Humans...the forms of life that exist in nature and resist explanation, and the inexhaustible force that flows through them. These are the things I'm seeking a new way to investigate. These creations follow from my thinking and emotions, from my deepest fears, sorrows and hopes.Through comprehension of these emotions, the instinctively erotic nature of humanity can also be given representation. Through metaphoric technique, the hallucination of my spirit is restructured into myriad forms. Here begins the poetic art project of Steven Tach."
Personally, I think it's very interesting to hear an artist speak about their work. Fashion designers are just the same. So when the person behind a brand has put so much thought and emotion into defining their belief as a concrete concept...well. As a blogger it's so much more enjoyable to write about.
The phrase that really set me thinking was "the instinctively erotic nature of humanity". It's obviously true but not so much in this country. In many ways, Japan is a pretty sexless place. There's lots of fetishism but that's not the same as eroticism or sensuality. In a land of repression, the human body becomes something else to hide.
That's not what STeVeN TACH is about though. Oh sure, he plays around with silhouettes - who doesn't these days? But he's not disguising the body, not repressing it. I think it's a very Western concept, backed up Western-style clothing and even a Western nom-de-plume. Look at the top in the photo above. It's clinging to the model, leaving us in no doubt that she is indeed a woman with breasts. I'm not being facetious but Japan is the land of the "titcurtain", where anything resembling a bust or a waistline is hidden under swathes of fabric.
There is a definite unisex trend running through this S/S13 collection. But I don't think it diminishes either the feminine or the masculine. In the two photos above, the models' traditional poses are reversed. The man is lounging back seductively, the woman is poised, legs open, in control of her body. The outfits are arguably reversed too. Throughout the series of photographs both models are shown as dominant, submissive and definitely human.
The accessory line is also organic and functional. The multi-use bags and subtle colouring on the rings are just as expressive as any of the more avant-garde designers. But STeVeN TACH is telling the story of nature and humanity as he sees it. From the earth, from the air and for everyone.
STeVeN TACH S/S13
Without further ado, here are my top three picks from STeVeN TACH S/S13
ST-SH04 (lace-up sneaker)
black
size. 23.5-28.0cm (at 0.5cm intervals)
¥57,000 (tax incl.¥59,850)
100% cow leather
2) 
ST-B01 (leather cardigan jacket)
black
size. free
¥89,000 (tax incl.¥93,450)
100% cow leather
rib-knit: 95% cotton, 5% polyurethane
lining: 100% cupro
3) 
ST-A11 (silver bracelet)
black / white
size. adjustable
¥9,000 (tax incl.¥9,450)
plate: silver 925
cord: 97% cotton, 3% polyester
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4 comments
I wish the models looked more natural in these photos but I do like the styling in these images - love that chunky bangle!
ReplyDeleteThat's a fair point considering that "nature" is a key concept behind the design. I love the natural setting more than anything else and it's hard for the poor models to live up to that!
DeleteThat leather cardigan jacket is calling to me!
ReplyDeleteYou and me both! If only I had a spare 900euro lying around...!
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