In the 1990s, the term "vintage" was used to describe vintage clothing that did not meet the definition of "antique," but was still valuable. Nowadays, there is a movement to find new value in "new vintage," even in old clothes from the 1980s onward, which were called "regular" at the time. In this project, four vintage clothing stores with different styles propose new ways to enjoy vintage clothing. Each of them will talk about the charm of vintage clothing with their own sense of style.
This is the 8th season of this Series! . So, we are restarting with all the stores being replaced. The 63rd issue is the second round of kic©︎ of "Awesome Boy" in Harajuku, Tokyo .
Text_Tommy
Edit_Yosuke Ishii
kic©︎ / AWSOME BOY Owner
Vol.63_Heingerich/Eisberg sunglasses
-What is the new vintage item you are going to introduce this time?
Last time it was "a rider's jacket that is not fashionable," and this time, too, I thought I would go for something that "some people" might respond to (laughs). The brand is "ICEBERG.
-I miss the generation that went through the hip-hop culture in the 1990s. kic©︎ do you too?
Although we have an image of overseas rappers wearing knitwear, there are not many people of our generation who wore knitwear in real time, and it is probably only the older generation of serious hip-hopers who are familiar with the brand. However, the brand itself collaborated with KITH in 2016, and is still active overseas, especially in its home country of Italy.
-I have an image of "Iceberg" as a character knitwear brand.
. It is a high-end knitwear brand that was born in Italy in 1974, to begin with. However, in Japan, the brand is not well known among the younger generation, let alone the hip-hop community, and this gap in perception is interesting.
-In terms of a Japanese brand, is it like "GALFY"? For some reason, delinquents in Japan and abroad like flashy designs and character goods.
Oh, why is that? (Laughs). COOGI," established in Australia in 1969, comes to mind when I think of knitwear that is also popular among the hip-hop crowd, but the "flashy and luxurious" style is completely the same.
What is the brand you are going to introduce this time from the lineup of such a high-end knitwear brand that those who know about it know about, but those who don't know about it don't know about it at all?
Knit, of course! Not ...... , but sunglasses (lol).
Iceberg sunglasses, ¥8,800 each(All are Awesome Boy)
-I think many of these apparel brand accessories are licensed products, but what about this one?
What do you think? I think it is an item from roughly the 90s in terms of time period, and like knitwear and other clothing, it is made in Italy, so I don't think it is a licensed product, but maybe locally it was in a sunglass shop, not a clothing store. . I think it is probably the same here in Japan as well.
-What are the key points to consider when choosing?
First, the silhouette. We recommend horizontal frames like this. The oval shape looks a bit like the Christian Roth model, which is the trademark of Kurt Cobain of Nirvana. . Either way, the slightly smaller size is interesting because it makes the wearer feel a little uncomfortable when wearing them.
Iceberg sunglasses ¥8,800(Awesome Boy)
Iceberg sunglasses ¥8,800(Awesome Boy)
Iceberg sunglasses ¥8,800(Awesome Boy)
. - The slightly toy-like feel is also a bit of a Y2K flirtation.
. So, the frame color is recommended to be white. Therefore, white is my guess for the frame color. The gap between the toy-like atmosphere and the made-in-Italy quality comes into play. The beckoning pattern is also good, with a bit of a thuggish look. The clear color will be useful in the coming season. And we mustn't forget the temples. This is quite important, so it would be a good idea to select a thicker model with a sense of presence. The presence or absence of brand name decoration is also important. The luxury feeling that is easy to understand is like "the hip-hop".
Iceberg sunglasses ¥8,800(Awesome Boy)
Iceberg sunglasses ¥8,800(Awesome Boy)
Iceberg sunglasses ¥8,800(Awesome Boy)
-kic©︎ , you yourself are a fan of this type of sunglasses.
They go great with caps. The absolute space between the visor of the cap and the bridge of the sunglasses is just right. If the sunglasses are too big, they will interfere with the visor, which is not good.
-How do you recommend wearing these sunglasses, in the sense of "Awesome Boy"?
White frames can be added as an extra color to a black overall look, or, as we head into summer, they can be worn with resort-style items such as aloha shirts.
-I'm sure you buy overseas?
Actually, I picked them up from the dead stock of an eyeglass shop run by the family of a friend of mine. The store is located in Osaka, so perhaps due to the location, there was an abundance of models from the 1980s and 1990s that had a bubbly feel, such as "VERSACE" and "TRUSSARDI," and they all look quite fresh today. Thanks to you, the pop-up event we held the other day was very well received.
-This is the first time that sunglasses have appeared in this Series. What kind of sunglasses would you like to see in the new vintage style?
Well, this may sound a bit odd, but I've heard a lot of people say they are looking for a sporty type with curved lenses, such as Oakley's, etc. . Popular models from the late 1990s to early 2000s are already at a premium among vintage gear collectors. Another brand I am personally interested in is "BLACK FLYS. The model that Kim Taku wore in the TV drama is one that some of the younger generation collects, so I'm keeping an eye on it.
-I see. There are collectors of such eyewear brands, but I don't hear of many people who target "sunglasses made by apparel brands", which is interesting.
Stussy, for example, is a collector's item, and there are many people looking for it. Some items have gone up in price quite a bit. On the other hand, "Icebergs" are in a safe zone at the moment (laughs). Will it quietly fade away, or will some chance spark its popularity and make it a hot item all at once? The future is very exciting.
kic©︎ / AWSOME BOY Owner
After gaining experience at the Tokyo-based street brand "SWAGGER," he joined "Awesome Boy," an online store that selects vintage clothing based on 90's to 00's hip-hop culture from a unique perspective, with a focus on rap TEEs, which was established by a friend. In 2015, he opened an actual shop in Uraharajuku, and in 2018, he launched a remake brand of the same name. . Currently, he deals in original remake items and vintage clothing.
Official website:www.store-awesomeboy.com
Instagram:@awesomeboy_vintage
