Strong and edgy with an urban-retro vibe, the Japanese urbanwear icon celebrates its 70th year with “Downtown Rave”
Under fiery red lights that showed off a beautifully curated array of shoes and apparel, living mannequins struck poses and moved in time with the thumping beat of electronic dance music as Onitsuka Tiger officially launched Downtown Rave, its 2019 fall/winter collection, at Warehouse 30 in Bang Rak, Bangkok, Thailand.
Philippine Tatler was among the select few invited to the launch which was staged last 25 June 2019, and had a front row seat to view a collection that combines the edgy, party-hopper look of the European rave scene of the ‘90s with the classic comfort and craftsmanship that have come to characterise the Japanese urbanwear brand.
“I did a lot of rave gigs years ago, as I lived in a place where there were a lot of dance clubs and DJs,” Onitsuka Tiger creative director Andrea Pompilio explains when asked about the raison d’etre behind the collection. “The outfits [worn at the time] were like the borderline between the styles of the ‘80s and ‘90s.”
According to Pompilio, the Downtown Rave collection was inspired by the way people would dress for nights out in Europe, particularly in Italy where he grew up and in many cities throughout the continent which were considered centres for electronic dance music and its attendant culture and style. However, in the context of contemporary fashion, the colourful and edgy look of that era has been tempered by the more relaxed style of modern urban dressing. The end result is a hip yet comfortable selection of shoes and clothing that would be perfect on both wintry slopes and city streets.
