On February 23rd, fashion magazine SENSE held "THE BLACK SENSE FESTIVAL 2014," the largest men's magazine event ever, at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium. Approximately 8,000 SENSE fans attended the large-scale event, which featured shows, live music, talks, and shopping.
The event targeted SENSE readers, men in their 30s and 40s. The venue was decked out in an all-black color scheme, in keeping with the event's name, and red spotlights added a cool edge to the atmosphere. MC Zeebra and host Terry Ito commented, "We've been planning this for a year, and it's the first time we've ever hosted a men's magazine event on such a large scale. We've lined up artists that are rarely seen, making it a truly spectacular event."
The opening act was Kuroyume's Kiyoharu. At the request of the magazine's editor-in-chief, Satoshi Moriya, he performed "Wasure no Sora," creating a collaboration between the live performance and the fashion show. "I've appeared in fashion shows before as a model, but this is my first time collaborating with a live show. There will be a variety of artists performing, so I hope everyone enjoys it," she said. Other performers included Kishidan and GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE. A talk show was also held during the show, with Terry Ito, Dan Mitsu, and Takafumi Horie discussing love, marriage, and cool men. In a revival of the magazine's popular "Midnight Men's Gathering" series, which ended in January, Takanori Nishikawa, Sho Ayakoji, and Shido Nakamura discussed their work and fashion. Various sponsoring brands also made appearances at the fashion show. A variety of items were showcased, including limited-edition items from mastermind JAPAN and Isetan Men's, and a stage show showcasing Adidas collaboration T-shirts. The venue also featured a large merchandise area, allowing pre-orders for items featured in the show. A rare system for events was also introduced, allowing customers to try on items before purchasing. Items from the "mastermind Japan Extra Collection" will be sold exclusively to visitors through the smartphone shopping app "Origami." These items will also be sold exclusively at "THE BLACK SENSE MARKET in ISETAN" from the 26th to March 3rd.

The event will also feature a variety of other gimmicks, such as a stamp rally within the venue where you can win great prizes, and "Photograph 100 Cool Men!", in which photographer Leslie Kee will take photos of stylish visitors who catch his eye at the venue. The photos taken by Leslie Kee will also be featured on his Instagram and Facebook, and some of the photos will be published in next month's issue of the magazine.