Japanese Streetwear for the Girls, for the Boys, for Everyone (EXCLUSIVE)
As long as I've been aware of Japanese clothing — too long, probably — I've been conscious of a boy's-club atmosphere surrounding its streetwear side. That's less due to anything happening in Japan and more that Western perception is very dude-heavy, with outlets that cover this sorta thing skewing towards the bro.
Y'know, as if only the male mind can comprehend limited-edition T-shirts. Madhappy's NEEDLES collaboration is a welcome subversion of staid norms.
The NEEDLES track suit is a classic Japanese streetwear status symbol, the ultimate two-piece "dudes rock" set since co-opted by basically every big name in streetwear, luxury, and everyone in between.
But those collaborative NEEDLES track jackets and track pants are rarely any more interesting than a pair of embroidered logos. Which is fine but lacks a certain element of, y'know, design.
Madhappy shows its hand by upping the ante.
"We wanted to integrate feminine elements like lace trimming and our hand-stitch details into the styles that NEEDLES is known for," explains Noah Raf, Madhappy cofounder.
It cleverly laced up — literally — the arms and legs of its NEEDLES track gear, creating a delicate counterpoint to a garment that typically leans masc. It's knowingly cool and very of the moment, what with everyone clamoring for bows and mary janes.
Not ready to commit to the vision? Madhappy and NEEDLES also devised a subdued black-on-brown variant.
It's an overt reminder that Madhappy x NEEDLES is for everyone. The girls, the boys, the kids who set weekly timers for limited drops, and the kids not served by streetwear gatekeepers. Everyone but the unstylish should head to Madhappy's website come April 10 to seek good taste.
The other collaborative clobber is similarly smart, ranging from patchwork hoodies that both riff on a signature Madhappy product and NEEDLES trademark 7-cut shirts to a shaggy mohair cardigan and butterfly earrings that render NEEDLES' papillon logo in 3D
But I was particularly captivated by the lace track set, which subverts an insider-y statement piece with — get this — actual design cues, rather than logos alone.
