The exhibition "LABYRINTH OF UNDERCOVER 25-Year Retrospective," celebrating UNDERCOVER's 25th anniversary, opened at the Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery on October 10th and runs until December 23rd. UNDERCOVER began its activities in 1990, when designer Jun Takahashi was a student at Bunka Fashion College. "I started without thinking about the future, armed with unfounded confidence and a rebellious spirit," Takahashi himself said. To mark the brand's 25th anniversary, last year the brand held an exhibition titled "TGRAPHICS 1990-2014 - HISTORY OF UNDERCOVER T-GRAPHICS," focusing on graphic prints, the brand's origins. Undercover established a solid street presence with its hand-printed T-shirts, participating in Tokyo Collections from 1994 and making its international debut at Paris Collection in 2003. This exhibition was designed to focus on the collection pieces, and Takahashi himself oversaw the layout and content of the exhibits without the assistance of a curator. The first impression, like passing through the entrance to a circus, is four rooms showcasing footage of shows from 1994-95 Autumn/Winter to 2016 Spring/Summer. Approximately 100 pieces from the collection are displayed throughout the museum, and seeing the early looks, which suggest a shift from street fashion, will likely bring back memories for many. The creations, which combine surrealistic details like skulls and organs with contrasting motifs like adorable animals, fruit, and flowers, evoke the essence of Undercover, a brand rich in culture that transcends the realm of fashion. The impressive archive is surrounded by pop neon lights lit throughout, design notes and oil paintings tracing Takahashi's career, and iconic dolls. None of these works come with detailed explanations, and as you walk through the space, imprinting everything you see into your memory, you'll feel as if you've stepped into a "labyrinth." If you peek through a window along the way, you'll likely catch a glimpse of Takahashi's face in a slice of his studio. Takahashi commented, "The numerous works born from wandering through a maze with no end in sight are the embodiment of the chaotic cells in my brain with an unsteady sense of balance, and they could truly be called my alter ego. My creations are made up of a fusion of opposing elements, perhaps describing chaos and harmony. Looking back on the past in preparation for this exhibition, I still feel like I'm wandering through a maze in my mind, striving for the finish line. I can't see where the end is yet, but I hope to take this opportunity to share my inner labyrinth."

【Event Information】
"LABYRINTH OF UNDERCOVER "25 year retrospective""
Venue: Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery
Address: 3-20-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Dates: October 10th - December 23rd
Time: 11:00 - 19:00 (until 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, last admission 30 minutes before closing)
Admission: Adults 1,200 yen, high school and university students 800 yen, junior high school students and younger free
Closed: Mondays (if a public holiday falls on Monday, the following Tuesday will be closed)