Juun.J, the first Korean guest designer to be invited to Pitti Immagine Uomo, presented his 16-17 Autumn/Winter collection on January 14th at the former Florence Leopolda Station. The theme was "SORAYAMA." The collection was based on the concept of sexy robots drawn by Hajime Sorayama, a leading illustrator in Japan's subculture scene who has been active since the 1970s.

The collection featured leather and bonded wool suiting materials, as well as jackets and pants inspired by motorcycle wear, creating a look reminiscent of science fiction films. The silhouettes were long and lean, with body-conscious I-lines and effortless knitwear, expressing genderless trends in minimalist colors.

His techniques for incorporating fashion into a market-conscious style—wide-shouldered, loose-fitting maxi coats paired with slim pants, oversized MA1 and pea coats paired with wide pants, oversized lettering, and the use of natural leather—demonstrate his experience as a designer with a global reach.

"For me, Sorayama (Motoi) has been my idol since the 1980s, even before I started studying fashion," says Jun J. The illustration on the back of the mouton coat featured in the finale revealed the secrets of this show. A trend that has been gaining attention for several years as Neo-Japonism was expressed by a Korean creator in the mecca of Italian Classico, demonstrating the globalization of men's fashion.

During Milan Men's Fashion Week after Pitti Pitti, Jun J was prominently featured on the facade of Milan's Rinasciante department store, and a pop-up shop was also set up. Additionally, from January 30th to March 5th, an exhibition of Sorayama Hajime's work, "Actresses are not machines, but they are treated like machines," is being held at NANZUKA in Shibuya.

Text: Noda Tatsuya