Back in September of last year, designer Soshi Otsuki, who runs a menswear label bearing this same name, walked away with the prestigious LVMH Prize. Impressing the industry’s most revered designers, from Jonathan Anderson to Phoebe Philo to Nicolas Ghesquière, the Japanese designer received a 400,000 euro endowment and one year of mentorship to help grow his brand. Yesterday in Florence, Otsuki was handed the keys to another hallowed institution: the Pitti Immagine Uomo menswear fair. And, once again, he triumphed.
The gothically beautiful Refetterio Santa Maria della Novella was his stage, and his soundtrack was lifted from the brutal Japanese gangster film Brother, which hit the silver screen back in 2000. Suiting, and how its shape can be manipulated through tailoring, was the name of Otsuki’s game. Each silhouette was oversized, seemingly rooted in traditional Japanese styles that favour a more-is-more approach to fabric.
The looks felt international in their perspective, informed by the idea that identity is built from “posture, decisions and attitude” rather than cultural background. In the world of Otsuki, how you wear a garment and the style and presence you exude because of this, is equally as important as the clothes themselves. To prove his point, he constructed clean Oxford shirts on a bias, which drew attention to the drape that forms once the wearer tucks it in. Otsuki’s skills as a craftsman, despite his lack of formal training as a tailor, were on full show. The tips of collars and lapels were given an artificial curl through pattern engineering and ironwork, plus a collaboration with the brand Proleta Re Art spat out pieces built from denim scraps and vintage textiles.
The accessories exuded an attitude that felt old-school gangster, mirroring the tone set by the music playing overhead. Rings with cigarette holders fused on top and loosely slung silk scarves popped up throughout, while thin-rimmed glasses and square leather bags recalled visions of cutthroat dealmakers. This collection proved that Otsuki means business.
Photography courtesy of Soshiotsuki.
