Undercover has long been a staple in streetwear media, but founder and designer Jun Takahashi’s impact and role in the fashion world goes far deeper than that. Takahashi certainly was a cornerstone of the seminal 1990’s era in Japanese street fashion, emerging alongside other pivotal figures from the era like Tomoaki Nagao, of A Bathing Ape, and Shinsuke Takizawa of Neighborhood. And like them, Undercover has maintained a solid street following - but it is also unique for having earned the respect of both the couture world, and by pillars of 20th century Japanese fashion like Rei Kawabuko.
Takahashi has become a sought-after collaborator across the industry - he’s joined fashion wunderkind like Riccardo Tischi and Martin Margiela as a curator of A Magazine, has partnered with Nike Sportswear on a startlingly well-designed athletic line, and he is on track to replace Jil Sander as a creative partner at UNIQLO.
The Undercover women’s line made a Paris runway debut in 2002, and until recently Takahashi did his most forward, avant garde design for his women’s collections. Summer 2010 saw Takahashi make his foray into men’s couture fashion, with an appearance as the guest designer at Pitti Uomo 76. For the collection unveiled there, Takahashi channeled his appreciation for industrial design, along with his longstanding tradition of deconstruction, and combined it with a touch of the technical fabrics he is fond of, for a very well received collection.
In the future, look for Undercover menswear to riff on Takahashi’s love for industrial design, technicality, and a bit of punk infuence - Takahashi cites his admiration for both Dieter Rams and Vivienne Westwood, along with his love of running, among his most prominent influences.