MilliOnAir | Fashion INTERVIEW
fall deeply in love with
TOKKOU
TOKKOU is a contemporary Japanese fashion house brand based in London with traditional Japanese roots at its core. TOKKOU’s cutting edge designs take inspiration from Japanese youth subculture Bousou-zoku. Run by juvenile delinquents in the early 1970s, over 800 teams drove customized motorcycles in biker gangs displaying anarchy against Japanese mainstream society.
The traditional style involves jumpsuits similar to those of manual Bousou-zoku labourers or leather military jackets with baggy pants and tall boots. This uniform became known as the Tokkou-fuku, which was often personalised through customised embroidery of poetry, drawings, thoughts or policies.
Upon graduating middle school in Japan, youths wear Sotsu-Ran also tailored to reflect the individual’s personality. The 2019 Spring/Summer collection Shine in the Dark is defined by combining genuine Japanese Tokkou-fuku and Sotsu-Ran's fabrics with traditional Japanese processes and sewing techniques.
The collection covers men’s and women’s ready-to-wear, designed by characteristics of Bousou-zoku through tailoring, considered design and striking embroidery.
Tell me about your brand TOKKOU.
TOKKOU is a Japanese fashion brand, based in London with traditional Japanese roots at its core.
Our ready to wear collections for men and women feature contemporary design, exquisite tailoring, striking embroidery and the world famous "Okayama" Denim.
What inspired you to start a fashion label?
TOKKOU’s founder Masa, used to be a member of the Japanese youth subculture called Bousou-zoku - a biker gang started in the 1980s. Our designs are take inspiration
from the vintage clothing which Bousou-zoku used to wear called Tokkou-fuku (Special-Attach-Clothing)
Masa is passionate about keeping these fantastic designs alive – so TOKKOU was created to popularise this street culture across the world.
All of the Japanese words on our clothes are associated with bōsōzoku, some are motivational, and some punk-like.
By FelicitiesPR