Hasta La Ideas

Jun Takahashi’s latest collection of monotone looks and Godzilla themes

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.