American Prep Gone Military Tough
Junya Watanabe has consistently toyed with the legendary designs of fashion's most enduring labels, from the inventors of jeans to heritage British shoemakers. And the latest addition to its ever-strong collaborative output is Watanabe turning its focus to the oldest clothing label in America.
The Japanese designer has used staples from the U.S.'s oldest apparel house, Brooks Brothers, as a canvas on which to splatter experimental nods to vintage workwear and military gear.
This materializes into Brooks Brothers' traditional sack blazer, a staple in preppy menswear, being dressed with a camouflage lining and a hardwearing cotton polyester gabardine outer. It's a fabric choice also added to matching chino pants, long-length shorts, and dog-ear collared, harrington-style jacket.
Watanabe's rugged interventions offer this quartet of menswear staples an extra sturdy, shape-sustaining fit almost as durable as some of the functional gear it's inspired by. These pieces blend the worlds of modern American prep and equally all-American military wear.
The capsule collection is anchored by a Brooks Brothers classic, the white oxford shirt, this time made of washed Supima cotton oxford fabric.
Tragically, as seems to be the case with a good lot of likeminded releases (think Brooks Brothers x N.HOLLYWOOD), these clothes are part of upcoming Japan-only rollouts available now from select retailers. Tough luck for those of us who are stateside, save for those versed in proxy services.
