Onitsuka Tiger presented its Autumn Winter 2022 collection during the bi-annual Milan Fashion Week showcase.
At the showcase, the Japanese fashion label continues to present a contemporary collection that combines fashion with sports, and heritage with innovation.
For his first physical show, Creative Director Andrea Pompilio dubbed the Autumn Winter 2022 collection in one word: Shadow. Which is a nod to the 80s when the Japanese aesthetic of ‘purity and austerity’ blasted Western aesthetics, where luxury and opulence were considered to be the height of beauty.
This Japanese aesthetic, working on silhouettes, monochromes, and details, redefined the Western aesthetic that had previously been taken for granted. There were echoes of Yohji Yamamoto, Comme des Garçons and even Issey Miyaki in the brutalist layering and all-black, coed lineup, a nod to Japan’s traditional ceremonial dressing.
Andrea Pompilio took Onitsuka Tiger’s sportswear vocabulary to different and more captivating territories—punk-ish, mysterious and brimming with youthful energy.
A cohort of boys dressed in black, with layers and unexpected volumes that depicted the underground culture scene of the time are reflected in Onitsuka Tiger’s collection. The Autumn Winter 2022 collection felt every bit modern and built for urban landscapes.
Cue parkas trimmed in fleece worn over cargo Bermuda and bomber jackets; pleated apron style skirts over pants and knit cardigans, or acid-washed flame print asymmetrical sweaters with dangling scarves. The models walking down the runway sported iterations of the same looks while genderless fashion may seem very of the now, but the Japanese have been doing it since the 80s—according to Pompilio.
Not forgetting the shoes, the collection showcased punkish flat-soled leather shoes and balky platform-soled sneakers in thin quilted nylon—with special sunglasses used in this collection made by Kaneko Optical, a Japanese company with a long history, founded in 1958 which is famous at the global level for its craftsmanship in manufacturing eyewear frames.
(Images: Onitsuka Tiger)
