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Visvim’s Hiroshi Nakamura speaks to the New York Times

Where American vintage and traditional Japanese clothing meet

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Enigmatic Japanese designer Hiroki Nakamura has spoken to the New York Times on what makes his brand so noteworthy that even Kanye West was put on the waiting list for a pair of his moccasin sneakers.

Nakamura’s label Visvim embraces beautifully crafted clothing and shoes with a rustic charm. The label cultivates an odd, but somehow utterly harmonious merging of traditional Japanese attire and vintage American fashion. Nakamura’s pieces draw largely from classic denims, that are both comfortable and long-lasting, and kimono-inspired styles. Fabrics are coloured from natural dyes and each garment is born with an experimental twist.

Nakamura’s taste for vintage clothing is at the heart of his designs. He speaks of clothing having a “soul or spirit”, something that he wishes to exhibit in his line. Forget fast fashion – Nakamura is advocating garments that are made to age. Finding beauty in the clothing’s handmade flaws, Nakamura describes the loss of personality in mass production “goods are flat, flat, flat. And that, to me, is boring. I’m drawn to natural stuff and unevenness, and to the humanity of things made by hand”, he tell the New York Times.

Keeping a strictly low profile, Nakamura is famous through word of mouth. And with fans like John Mayer, A$AP Rocky, Rihanna, and Pharrell, it’s no wonder he doesn’t need an advertising campaign. You can read the full interview here.

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