BlackEyePatch, a brand introduced in the media with the tagline "mysterious sticker group," presented a runway show at Amazon Fashion Week TOKYO's special project "AT TOKYO" that turned existing fashion hierarchies on their head, feeling contemporaneous with what is happening in New York, Paris, and Milan.

The venue was the site of the Kanze Noh Theatre in Shoto, which closed in 2015. On the seats of the venue, where only the seats remain, stickers and earplugs for "GIMATAI," a motorcycle stunt team based in Okinawa, were placed. The Spring/Summer 2018 collection kicked off with a warning to the public: a time-lapse video of graffiti being painted on the pine trees of a Noh stage. A customized motorcycle suddenly appeared, roaring loudly. The intense bike stunt recalled Marcelo Burlon's 2014 debut, in which he dived a motocross bike into the night sky, as well as the flashy performances of Philipp Plein. Male and female models, including streetwear models, walked the show, alternating between scenes of Japanese and American youth culture, including skateboard crews performing tricks and bosozoku (Japanese motorcycle gangs). The collection itself featured a season's anthem, based on skater items such as nylon parkas, track pants, neon-colored hoodies, loose GI belts, and Nike Air Force 1s, all presented in a compact format, accented by a "Handle with care" sticker-style logo. "Explaining the influence that hip-hop stars have on fashion and society in Japan is as difficult as explaining the appeal of Johnny's in America." In a conversation with a marketer for international brands working in Tokyo, I learned that the significant influence that rap lyrics and music videos have on the rise and fall of high fashion brands' popularity isn't widely known in Japan. Images of rappers like A$AP Rocky, Big Sean, and Wiz Khalifa, as well as Justin Bieber wearing the brand's clothing at concerts have become a hot topic online, and while the brand has been featured at Dover Street Market and other venues, its full scope has remained a mystery. Outside the venue, a "West Side"-style American car was also displayed, and the brand's background was presented.

It is significant that the new street scene, which has not been followed by government events until now, has appeared on the front stage of Tokyo Fashion Week.

Text: Tatsuya Noda