What is NEW VINTAGE? Vol.98 This is the "sense of wearing culture. Have you heard of Fanny Farm?

In the 1990s, the term "vintage" was used to describe vintage clothing that did not meet the definition of "antique," but still had value, as opposed to "antique" clothing that was 100 years old. Nowadays, there is a movement to find new value in "new vintage," even in old clothes from the 1980s onward, which used to be called "regular" vintage clothes. 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.

All the new stores have been replaced, and the series is finally in its 13th season! The 98th issue features Sin-san of "BLANK BLACK MARKET" located in Kamimachi along the Setagaya Line!　What new vintage items will he introduce this time?

Text_Tommy
Edit_Yosuke Ishii

Sin / Owner, BLANK BLACK MARKET
Vol.98_Fanny Farm T-shirts, hoodies and crewneck sweatshirts

-What kind of store is BLANK BLACK MARKET (henceforth BBM)?

As the name of the store implies, we are inspired by the chaotic atmosphere of the black market, where everything is lined up in a chaotic manner, and we deal in "things that I myself find good and interesting" without being bound by existing frameworks. I collect street brands from the 90's to the 00's, which are rooted in the culture and can be either worthless or treasured, depending on the person who chooses them. We collect such items.

-In recent years, there have been more and more stores that sell street brand vintage clothing from the same era as new vintage clothing.

We are conscious of "leaving room" for the wearer's own way of looking at and perceiving things, and propose a remix of contemporary brands and ways of wearing, rather than just tracing the way things were worn in those days. We also have two types of items: items that we want to leave behind for future generations as part of the culture, like the Uraharajuku brand, and items that are interesting but have not yet found their value at this point in time. These two types of items are what we consider new vintage.

-That's where we're going to introduce you to .......

FUNNY FARM" was born in the middle of the Uraharajuku culture scene in the 1990s, but is known only to those in the know. As I mentioned earlier, FUNNY FARM is a brand that can be either worthless or a treasure, depending on the person who chooses it.

-I remember you were often featured in the fashion magazines of the time. I miss it!

JONIO aka Jun Takahashi of UNDERCOVER, Hirokazu Ichinose of MINORITY, N.W.O, and VANDALIZE, and tattoo artists Bob Bessels and Mark Paramore of Los Angeles tattoo studio FUNNY FARM. Bob Bessels and Mark Paramore, tattoo artists at FUNNY FARM in Los Angeles. The brand was developed by these four tattoo artists for only a few years in the 90's.

-How long have they been in existence?

In a magazine published in 1996, JONIO talked about the launch of the store, so I think it was two to three years from that time until 1999 at the most. The concept of the shop was "there is no such thing as a single fashionable item." The main items were silver accessories with skull motifs, toys, candles, and other miscellaneous items, as well as original clothing and one-of-a-kind items hand-printed with silk screens.

-Sin, did you actually wear it?

I was a high school student living in a rural area at the time, so I never actually visited the store, but I bought a few pieces when they came in at a local punk store and wore them until they tore. I was the kind of punks who wore tack jackets (laughs). ...... Let's put that story aside and start with the T-shirts.

Fanny Farm T-shirt, 28,000 yen (blank black market)

-The iconic skull is cool, isn't it?

The second is a hand-drawn motion logo of a skull. This graphic is a classic design with a big bang on the chest. The first is the "black tag" from the first period. The body is single-stitched, and the four members' names are printed on the front hem. In many cases, this tag has been cut off, perhaps because it was too big and was in the way, so it is rare to find this tag left. Let us list them in order of oldest to newest.

Fanny Farm T-shirt 18,000 yen (blank black market)

This is a little later. The back waist has the same print as the front chest, with a pith name at the hem. The body is a heavyweight Fruit of the Loom. The design of the woven brand tag has also changed. And here is another one that seems to be from the same period.

Fanny Farm T-shirt 18,000 yen (blank black market)

Originally, a brand tag with a woven name was supposed to be attached at the neck, but the previous owner has custom-made it at the hem of the front. This part is also unique to this brand, which is based on hardcore and punk rock. The body is a "Beefy T" by "Hanes," and T-shirts and long T-shirts have often been reprinted since the 00's. Some of them are made by "Printstar. Of course, these are all originals from the 90s.

-All of them have a tattoo store merchandising flavor and a very good atmosphere. Then there are the hoodies.

Fannie Farm's Hoodie, 48,000 yen (blank black market)

The body is Champion's "Reverse Weave". Compared to the early version, which was rough and hand-drawn graphics with only outlines, this one, which seems to be from the mid-period onward, features thicker lines and the inside is also painted over.

The same as the previous T-shirt, it has a waist print familiar to "BOUNTY HUNTER". I heard that this T-shirt was influenced by the hardcore band "EXCEL," but is the idea from the same source?

It might be. I guess it might be an expression of the rebellious spirit of "wanting to make something different from existing designs", as things of the time had pith marks or prints in odd places.

-Speaking of which, this crew neck sweatshirt seems to have a somewhat different approach.

Fanny Farm's crew neck sweatshirt, 46,000 yen (blank black market)

The "Force-Eyed Skull" and the circle design, which was also used on the hem of the second T-shirt, are standard designs. The sticky American rubber ink print, which was also seen on A BATHING APE T-shirts of the time, and the body color that faded as it was worn. Combined with the cracks in the print, you can certainly get a stronger street flavor.

-Is this body also a "Champion"?

The tag is broken, but it probably is. However, it seems that they used whatever bodies were available at the time, including Lee and Haynes. This one has a cotton/poly blend "JERZEES" body. The weight is quite light, probably from the late 90s.

Fanny Farm's crew neck sweatshirt, 42,000 yen (blank black market)

-Another graphic.

Flying eyeballs, a staple in lowbrow culture circles such as hot rods, are depicted in the original design. The multi-colored multi-prints give a sense of hard-core backbone, just like JONIO and ICHINOSE. Some of the patterns overlap each other, making them quite difficult to wear, but that's what makes them so irresistible. It's like "wearing culture.

-What other items do you have in addition to the ones you have introduced here?

For tops, coach jackets, work jackets, desert camo patterned outerwear, and checked shirts. For bottoms, there seemed to be quite a variety of guerrilla sales in one-and-only items with silkscreen prints on existing bodies, such as cargo pants and chino pants.

-It would be very interesting if we could dig it out.

They are still not well known among overseas collectors, and since the absolute number of pieces is small, it is difficult to find them on the market, making them a good target. I will be releasing all of my stock on November 11 to celebrate our first anniversary, so there is no guarantee that I will be able to find any more, but I intend to continue collecting them for my own collection as well (laugh).

-In the case of the younger generation, they have things that their relative's old man who came through street and punk in the 90s bought back then. There may be such a case.

That may be true. That's how I have been keeping my own. Please try your relative's old man! (Laughs)

Sin / Owner, BLANK BLACK MARKET
He has about 16 years of experience in apparel, from sales to planning and production. Starting online, on November 11, 2023, he will select "items with a bit of a twist" with a focus on details and sizing in a genre-less fashion, street, casual, military, etc. At the same time, he will open a physical store "BLANK BLACK MARKET", a community store where customers can experience culture with secondhand books and beer. BLANK BLACK MARKET", a community store where customers can experience culture with used books and beer, just celebrated its first anniversary on November 11, 2024.
Instagram:@blank_blackmarket
Official website:.b-blackmarket.stores.com