Talkin' 2020: Andrea Pompilio On Onitsuka Tiger Spring/Summer 2020
The Spring/Summer 2020 collection appears to be a true celebration of Tokyo...
The Olympics 2020 is a big movement for Tokyo. We have many bags inspired by travel and luggage - because there will be many people coming to Tokyo. And even if it wasn't for the Olympics, Tokyo is a capital of fashion - where I come from in Italy, the flights to Tokyo are always full now. Onitsuka Tiger is a historical company, so we also looked at logos from archival bags and socks and used them in this collection, in a contemporary and luxurious way.
It all started with a collaboration with Onitsuka Tiger in 2013, and your role at the brand has continued to grow since...
There have been a lot of big changes. We started with one pair of shoes that were co-branded - I was an Italian designer working with an iconic Japanese brand. That led to a menswear capsule show at Pitti [Uomo], followed by a men's and women's show with 35 exits. From a pair of co-branded sneakers, now I look at the webiste, the stores, windows, and events. At the beginning when we started, there was really only the collaboration between Adidas and Yohji Yamamoto. And now I am the creative director at Onitsuka Tiger. It's much more complex and the approach has changed too - we are translating a more contemporary fashion image.
Are there challenges, being an Italian designer at a Japanese brand?
We get inspiration from Japan, and also from all over the world. We're already so known in Japan, so we do need more of a European, or global touch. Onitsuka Tiger is very open to that touch, and a global vision. I don't really see separate markets - now we are all connected with Instagram. and the web, so we are all part of the world.
Would you consider Onitsuka Tiger a part of the streetwear segment?
We are more prêt-à-porter, and less streetwear - especially in the styling and finishing. There is a lot more research, and we make a statement and a look that is more of-the-moment. For example, there is the sneaker with a platform, and a hypbrid sneaker, rather than just a sneaker from someone who might be considered a competitor.
Your first memory of Onitsuka Tiger is...
Uma Thurman in Kill Bill, by Quentin Tarantino. In Europe, that's the image we have. In Asia, Onitsuka is the culture.
What's going to be the next sneaker trend?
The very chunky sneaker will still be around for the next couple of months. The newer sneakers iis softer, slimmer and more fitted to the body.
What's your prediction for ready-to-wear in the coming years then?
Sportswear in the comnig years will be more prêt-à-porter. People are starting to tire of streetwear and will go back to looking for a good pair of pants or a good coat. People of my generation spend money on a piece that will last for five years - not something that lasts for six months. Maybe there will be a move back to investment pieces.
Do you have a fave piece from the Spring/Summer 2020 collection?
It's more of an attiitude than a specific thing. I like to see models happy backstage, because they have to do the walk. Actually, after the show, I'm even more confused because the models said they wanted everything - the platforms sneakers, the latex coat.
What are your personal thoughts on sustainability in fashion?
I've spoken to many companies over the years. There are many fake certificates and claims - especially for bags and shoes. In reality, there's no glue that will 100 per cent stick forever. It will be a long discussoin, but I believe we can start in our own homes. I used to love packaging and collect it - now, I don't do that anymore. if we're talking about the Onitsuka Tiger collection, there are denim and padded items that can be worn for a long time.
Andrea Pompilio on...
Designing youthful clothes
"Fashion is about dreaming. And I'm dreaming to be young. Onitsuka Tiger is my baby - I can't try surfing or skateboarding now as a 45-year-old man. So as a designer, I'm living a dream and doing what I missed out on before."
What he would do outside of fashion
"I decided when I was 8 that I would be a fashion designer. Maybe I would be an interior designer. There's no other option."
Getting the nerves
"I'm always nervous before a show. More hysterical than nervous. I don't have so much stress for the collection and models - it's more about the lights and the sound, and ensuring the consistency of the message when things are in the hands of others."
Social media
"My heart tells me to go more sophisticated. But Instagram shows that fashion is still very instant. Instagram mostly affects things in a good way - yet when something starts to appear everywhere, you want to move in the other direction."
First seen in the February 2020 issue of L'Officiel Singapore
