The 1990s was the era of remixes.
PROFILE
Japan's King Of Diggin' is active worldwide not only as a DJ, but also as an MC and producer. He has been promoting the connection between music and fashion since the 90's through stores such as "SAVAGE!
This project is based on the theme of the 90's. In addition to your music activities, you also ran a store in Shibuya, right? What was the mood in Shibuya and Harajuku at that time?
Since November 1996, you have operated a shop in Udagawa-cho, Shibuya called "SAVAGE! (closed in 2008) in Udagawa-cho, Shibuya, since November 1996. (closed in 2008). At the time, the number of skaters was increasing in Harajuku, and it was becoming a habit to incorporate new culture into fashion. In contrast, Shibuya was all about hip-hop, so camouflage and other military wear was all the rage. I would buy such fashion items myself and put them in my store.
What was the year 1996 like when you opened "Savage! What was the year 1996 like when you opened "Savage!
This is a key year for me. It was also the year I selected and placed my first "Clarks" in my store, and the year I fulfilled my longtime dream of DJing at a radio station in New York. That same year, a New York rapper named Ghostface Killer (a member of the Wu-Tang Clan) released an album called "Iron Man," and I was shocked to see the colorful handmade "Clarks" wallaby on the cover.
When we collaborated with "Clarks Originals" and "RECOGNIZE" last year, we designed the shoes with the idea of making each one by hand. Among the various types of shoes in existence, "Clarks" at that time had a very luxurious feel. Of course, the same is true today. Ghostface Killer also appeared in the New York version of the "Clarks Originals" campaign, didn't he?
What kind of items did you carry at the store?
It's typical hip-hop fashion. Outdoor, sports, work, military, and these four. I had been consciously thinking of designs that mixed these elements since that time, and when I incorporated "Clarks" shoes into my designs, I felt that my coordination would suddenly bloom. Until then, I had only been looking in the U.S., but when I went to the U.K. for the first time to buy "Clarks" and other products, the response was far greater than I had imagined. Until then, I had the feeling that I had to go to New York to buy shoes, but that was the moment when my interest in music expanded to Europe as well as purchasing.
Before 1996, was "Clarks" already a staple of hip-hop fashion?
No, I don't think there were any at all. I think the cover of the "Iron Man" album was the first time many people were struck by the fact that he was wearing or making some kind of unusual shoes. I think this is what ignited the hip-hop scene. I think the Clarks jacket and the colorful Polo (Ralph Lauren) shoes they were wearing were very symbolic of the 90s. Incidentally, if we turn our gaze toward reggae, we can see from the record jackets that they have been worn for a long time. I really liked and admired the rudimentary style seen in the movie "Rockers" (a 1978 Jamaican movie). I first heard of "Clarks" from the reggae side.
I would like to know which model of "Clarks Originals" is your favorite.
I have worn all the models, but lately I have been wearing "Wallabies" a lot. The first pair I ever wore were the "Desert Trek. My grandfather loved mountain climbing, and I started liking it when I was little, and I was attracted to the "Desert Trek" because of the mountain climbing figure on the heel.
Today you are wearing a camo print model of the "Harajuku Pack." Was it because of the military element that you selected it?
Yes, it does. Also, at a glance, they give an impression of toughness. In the 90's, oversized was in vogue, just as it is now. Back then, I think they would have been worn with M-65s and the like. Today, we have a sweatshirt set-up with a rudimentary atmosphere. I chose brown to match the green camo pattern.
What was the 90's like for you?
Even in hip-hop, it was possible to incorporate all genres. In other words, it was a time when sampling was the main thing. In terms of fashion, as in the case of "Savage! DJs, of course, did the same thing, but it was a time when it was fashionable to cross different things together to create new expressions. In other words, it was the age of remixing. The 90s and 00s are really interesting. The sense of being able to incorporate anything was fun, similar in some ways to the late 80s.
When you say that this is the "age of remixes," I think that is very persuasive.
I'm talking about my own album, but I have one rap album ("PAN RHYTHM: Flight No. 11154" released in 2000), which is based on the concept of a rhythmic journey, incorporating interesting aspects of various countries and remixing them. The jacket was shot in front of an airplane. Now I want to travel around the world wearing this "Harajuku Pack".
