Eye Of The Tiger: Onitsuka Tiger Spring/Summer 2020
The 2020 Olympics in Tokyo is less than a year away, so it only made sense that Onitsuka Tiger should look to the city for its latest collection. “This season is a big homage to Tokyo because it’s going to be the Olympic Games of 2020,” explained creative director Andrea Pompilio, “Tokyo at the moment is a really big centre of creativity and a very inspiring city for so many people”. Paying tribute to the Olympics of past and present, as well as the Onitsuka Tiger’s founder Kihachiro Onitsuka, the collection wholly embodied the brand’s characteristic blend of sportswear and street style. Here’s what you need to know:
The Space
In keeping with the sports theme of the collection, the show was held at the Shin-toyosu Brillia Running Stadium, which Onitsuka Tiger transformed into a near-futuristic space for the night. To pump up the mood, guests were treated to a pre-show performance of wheel acrobatics, along with music by a marching band.
The Style
Uniforms may not be your first pick when it comes to fashionable ‘fits, but the Spring/Summer 2020 collection from Onitsuka Tiger might just change your mind. Centred on five important elements – the New Youth, the Modern Uniform, the New Casual, the Sports Obsession, and the Free Spirit – the collection put a stylish spin on athletic apparel.
Casual shorts and tank tops made of mesh alluded to basketball, while colour-blocked tops and slim jackets gave off a distinct racing vibe. A sleek satin evening dress drew on boxing robes, while a translucent coat wouldn’t have looked out of place in a regatta. Quilted coats, rain jackets, and bucket hats provided the perfect finishing touch to the athleisure aesthetic. Bursts of neon pink, orange, and yellow brightened up the otherwise muted palette of black and indigo.
The Spring/Summer 2020 show also unveiled the exclusive TOKYO ONITSUKA capsule collection. Taking the sportswear theme more literally, the line featured t-shirts, hoodies, and chunky sneakers with graphic lettering and a red circle branding.
Onitsuka Tiger welcomed guests like Naomi Watanabe, Nishino Nanase, and Toc Thien to the show, each with their own take on the brand’s signature style.
