What will we wear when the world is on fire? Hidesign may have an answer.
The Tokyo-based workwear design company, which recently began a foray into fashion by creating what it calls “work couture,” has an interesting mission: to create cutting-edge clothing that is as fashionable as it is practical. This time, designers Hideo Yoshii and Souta Yamaguchi held a small exhibition to showcase their collection, presenting it to the audience in keynote style.
The collection was aptly named ‘Blue Collar’, referring both to the uniforms of the physical workers who inspired it, and literally to the colours: until now, Hidesign’s clothes have only been grey, but this time they appeared in cobalt, navy blue, and aqua.
Each item presented was well thought out, both in form and function. In one guise, the designers incorporated a battery-powered fan system to blow cool air in, inflating it like a portable balloon (in a display that drew oohs and ahhs from the audience). In another, the compartments were lined with aluminum foil to keep drink bottles or snacks chilled longer: a picnic cooler in your pocket. A hooded raincoat was designed to be worn over a backpack. Great for a big storm, sure, but the huge silhouette seals the deal.
We’ve seen workwear become increasingly part of the luxury fashion conversation in recent years, but the rise of vintage Carhartt chore jackets and canvas twill cargo pants has also led to criticism that the wealthy are appropriating blue collar uniforms in an obscene display of plebeians. cosplay. Perhaps because the designs are so new and innovative, and increasingly applicable to modern life, what Hidesign does is not. Instead, this collection felt like a refreshing level-up and an insight into what the clothes of the future could be. “We think hard about how we can contribute to society with these clothes,” says Yamaguchi.
It is an increasingly relevant pursuit. If the extremely hot and humid summers in Japan and the rest of the world continue to worsen – as is predicted – Hidesign’s built-in fan vests and cooling bags may offer the clothing-conscious among us a way to beat the heat in style.