In fashion, collaboration is seen as a regular ‘norm’ and while many are done unsuccessfully there are brands that have achieved success with this idea of harmony and creative collaboration.
Each country or city tends to have a particular stereotype of what style exists within its borders, and this leads to designers becoming inspired by many different locations around the world and again this is seen as a creative ‘norm’.
Here at High Def Male we love it when brands embrace culture in new ways and bring forth their own version of innovation when it comes to creating wonderful collections.
Maison Kitsuné is what I would call a cross-culture brand that embraces two very different worlds and creates something truly magnificent. The brand was founded in 2002 by Gildas Loaëc and Masaya Kuroki after a trip to Japan inspired them to bring together the chic style of Paris and the conceptual ways of Japan.
Not only is this brand focused on fashion but they have been a record label from the outset two, merging the worlds of fashion and music which naturally connect in today’s world of pop culture. The name Kitsuné struck them as the most obvious name for their brand because it comes from the Japanese word meaning “fox” and is also a symbol of versatility, which is one of the key ideas this label is based on.
It wasn’t until 2005, three years after the founding of the brand that they showed their first ready to wear collection at the Palais de Tokyo. What Gildas Loaëc and Masaya Kuroki unveiled was a rich contemporary vision of stylish fashion inspired by their two worlds of Paris and Tokyo.
This cemented their aesthetic of a chic balance between tradition and modernity. Skip forward another three years and the brand has already grow enough to warrant opening up its first bricks and mortar store in Paris located at 52 Rue de Richelieu in the 1st arrondissement. The location is a beautiful fifty square meters located just by the gardens of the Palais Royal. Even the location is perfect for the brand’s style.
Heading forward a few more years to April of 2011, and the brand opens their new store in New York City Situated on the ground floor of the NoMad Hotel at 28th Street and Broadway. According to the brands website ‘this 200 m2 Haussmannian inspired boutique injects all its nobility into the brand’s way of life.’
This is something we have to agree with. In June of 2012, the brand continues its international expansion with the opening of its first two pied-à-terres in Tokyo in the Aoyama district. It’s composed of two quite distinct sites: one address dedicated to the ready-to-wear collections and another, which welcomes the first Café Kitsuné.
The pieces are now available to buy worldwide in many different locations including online, which is a High Def Male way of shopping. Laptop keys tap furiously and mouse clicks can be heard from miles around because we are looking at and shopping from wonderful brands such as Maison Kitsuné.
The Pieces
Final Word
It is always great to see and find brands that truly encompass chic style with easy-to-wear laid-back street style. Maison Kitsuné comes from the idea of joining two stylish cultures together seamlessly, and it really works well. Here at High Def Male we are loving this brand and we hope you do to. For more information on this wonderful brand, please head over to their official Website.
