Jun Takahashi’s subtly clever line Undercover (along with his collaborations) rarely disappoints. From looks that satisfy my current preference for monotone dressing, like a khaki barn jacket paired with khakis, to striped backpacks, his Spring/Summer 2011 has plenty to covet. (We’ll take the turquoise raincoat or army green v-neck sweatshirt too please.) But beyond the exaggerated ’80s silhouettes of narrow pants-and-oversize shirts, the look book is a great cultural artifact in and of itself.
With overt Godzilla references, the Japanese designer set the shoot in a miniaturized cityscape—complete with taxis and tiny people at the model’s feet. The images come across as a riff on the popularity of tilt-shift photography, achieving the effect by much less sophisticated means.
Suggesting people lost in a bizarre version of the everyday world (Takahashi has said they’re meant to evoke a comic book strip), they provide the perfect backdrop for the designer’s inventive take on traditional clothes.