In “SWITCH” VOL.41 December 2023 Issue, Yusuke Koishi of KLEINSTEIN and Miki Koishi facilitated a trilogy discussion between Rick Owens, Hiroshi Sugimoto and Ryoji Ikeda. This is the first interview with Rick Owens after his first visit to Japan in 20 years. . The recording was made in a cave at the Enoura Observatory built by Hiroshi Sugimoto and his studio New Materials Research Institute. The shooting was done by Danielle Levitt.

In the October issue of GQ JAPAN, Yusuke Koishi contributed an essay based on the concept of ‘Quiet Wealth, Quiet Language,’ discussing Quiet Luxury. The essay notes that Quiet Luxury is a limited and effective fashion vocabulary in ‘affluent places’ around the world. Read more in the GQ JAPAN October issue on the season’s notable big trend: ‘Quiet Luxury.’ Link to the article.

Yusuke Koishi discussed the macroscopic trends in fashion since 2010, along with Koremasa Uno (movie and music journalist) and POGGY (fashion curator). Koishi primarily delved into the influence of Kanye West and domestic U.S. politics on the fashion industry, and also made references to Pharrell Williams. This conversation is featured in the Pen magazine’s special edition: ‘2023 Autumn/Winter Fashion Special – Clothing Beyond the Ages’ (November 2023 issue). Interview and text by Hiroaki Nagahata. Illustrations by Taiga Yamaura.

In February of this year, 2023, it was announced that Pharrell Williams would be taking over as the menswear artistic director for “Louis Vuitton” following the untimely passing of Virgil Abloh. With the directorship position vacant at the prestigious luxury fashion Maison, many speculated that the streetwear boom that emerged after Virgil’s rise would soon wane. However, now that over two years have passed, it is evident that the movement has only gained momentum, albeit transforming its appearance along the way.

While the fashion industry worldwide suffered the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, experiencing a sharp decline in sales, the year 2022 marked a remarkable V-shaped recovery, especially for luxury brands. During the pandemic, those who steadily amassed power were individuals and companies with global bases and networks. In a world of limited face-to-face interactions, business transactions depended heavily on credit. The V-shaped recovery of the luxury industry, based on legacy and its credit, was somewhat expected. I previously discussed this in my article titled “FASHION AND PANDEMICS – LIVING IN A WORLD THAT NEVER ENDS” where I stated that global conglomerates would initially face a significant negative impact from the pandemic, but also highlighted the potential for the fastest significant recovery. I also mentioned the possibility that this could lead to major recapitalisations and industry restructuring, including mergers and acquisitions.

According to the financial results announced in January 2023, Louis Vuitton’s sales surpassed €20 billion, reaching an all-time high, and LVMH also achieved its highest-ever market capitalization. Consequently, Bernard Arnault officially emerged as the world’s wealthiest person, making headlines as a cultural icon alongside Elon Musk. Around the same time as this financial announcement, Open AI released ChatGPT Plus and GPT4, which triggered an AI boom. This trend is now beginning to indirectly affect the industry as a whole.

Furthermore, at about the same time, Tiffany, under the umbrella of LVMH, announced a collaboration with Nike, a memory still fresh in our minds. Some may also recall that ordinary individuals were posting sneaker designs created through AI collaborations on social media. As we witness the unfolding of dynamic changes post-COVID, it is worth reflecting on the progression from Virgil Abloh’s absence to the present. In this context, the article “Pharrell Williams: Can the Strongest Consumers Become the Strongest Creators in the Age of A.I.?” raises intriguing questions about the possibilities that lie ahead. This article originally appeared on fashionsnap.com.

BIÉDE held its first pop-up exhibition in the Kansai region, titled “BIÉDE COLLECTION IN COLLABORATION WITH QUENTIN SHIH at node hotel, Kyoto,” at the Kyoto node hotel from April 15th-30th in 2023. Additionally, on April 15th at 20:00, BIÉDE presented their inaugural fashion show/performance called “BIÉDE IN MOTION,” inspired by the 32nd chapter of Murasaki Shikibu’s “The Tale of Genji” titled “Umegae” (Plum Tree Branch in English).

The performers included Nina Utashiro, who has roots in Germany, Japan, and the United States. She is an artist, musician, model, stylist, and is active in various fields such as writing, editing, and film production. The narrative reading was performed by Yusuke Narita, an economist who shuttles between Japan and the United States. The music was provided by Yongsi, an artist and curator who originated from China, worked in Japan, and is currently based in the United Kingdom, as well as Lyo Taniguchi, a music producer and dancer based in Kyoto who has collaborated with Yongsi. The photography and videography during the performance were captured by Chikashi Suzuki, a renowned fashion photographer representing Japan.

Distribution and management of Mylo, a herbal skincare brand from Slovakia.

In issue #02 of the free magazine ‘NOT FAR,’ produced by TOKYO DESIGN STUDIO New Balance, Yusuke Koishi contributes an insightful piece titled “Economy and History From Sneakers.”

The Book Street, built in the image of a book town, is located on the fourth floor of the KADOKAWA Musashino Museum, where the Seigo Matsuoka supervised and selected about 25,000 books. KLEINSTEIN CO., LTD. is in charge of the special selection of the “FASHION” category.

BIÉDE is a label of genderless uniform established in 2020.
BIÉDE creates all products from dialogues between people across borders and different generations.
Multinational creative team. Nationality, gender and age are not disclosed.

Collaborating with acclaimed Brazilian photojournalist Alberto Bitar, Kleinstein produced an installation film for the COMME DES GARÇONS HOMME PLUS SPRING/SUMMER 2021 show “Metal Outlaw”, drawing inspiration from Alberto Bitar’s mesmerizing work, “Doris.”