New York-based high street brand HACULLA held a runway show on January 10th, the third day of Pitti Uomo '95. The venue, DOGANA, featured a wall-to-wall painting by street graffiti artist Harif Guzman, as well as a giant sculpture created specifically for the occasion.
Creative director John Koon, a Chinese-American entrepreneur and contemporary artist, designs apparel by Guzman, known for his collaborations with fashion brands such as Ralph Lauren, Volcom, and Burton. The brand is available in select Japanese shops and is already generating buzz among fans. The installation began with models wearing white coats painted by Guzman doing a zombie walk at the opening, then lining up in front of a black curtain that covered the center. When the curtain was pulled down, an object appeared in the center, and the 2019-20 Fall/Winter collection began.
The sight of male and female models in gothic makeup walking down the catwalk between Guzman's objects, accompanied by roaring music, was breathtaking. Although it was an official event, details were not announced in advance, and the show, held almost as a guerrilla affair, was quite radical for the local press, who had previously experienced new trends in men's designers at Pitti Uomo guest events such as Undercover, Off-White c/o Virgil Abloh™, and Takahiro Miyashita the Soloist.
Street icon items such as hoodies, parkas, flannel shirts, camouflage, and riders jackets were mixed with a punk touch, and Guzman's iconic characters and words were mixed with embroidery and appliqué to create grunge and gothic styles. It will be interesting to see how their excessive aggressiveness, showing the "next" street style, resonates in the traditional grounds of Clasico.
Text: Tatsuya Noda
Creative director John Koon, a Chinese-American entrepreneur and contemporary artist, designs apparel by Guzman, known for his collaborations with fashion brands such as Ralph Lauren, Volcom, and Burton. The brand is available in select Japanese shops and is already generating buzz among fans. The installation began with models wearing white coats painted by Guzman doing a zombie walk at the opening, then lining up in front of a black curtain that covered the center. When the curtain was pulled down, an object appeared in the center, and the 2019-20 Fall/Winter collection began.
The sight of male and female models in gothic makeup walking down the catwalk between Guzman's objects, accompanied by roaring music, was breathtaking. Although it was an official event, details were not announced in advance, and the show, held almost as a guerrilla affair, was quite radical for the local press, who had previously experienced new trends in men's designers at Pitti Uomo guest events such as Undercover, Off-White c/o Virgil Abloh™, and Takahiro Miyashita the Soloist.
Street icon items such as hoodies, parkas, flannel shirts, camouflage, and riders jackets were mixed with a punk touch, and Guzman's iconic characters and words were mixed with embroidery and appliqué to create grunge and gothic styles. It will be interesting to see how their excessive aggressiveness, showing the "next" street style, resonates in the traditional grounds of Clasico.
Text: Tatsuya Noda
