Paris: Designer Soshi Otsuki gained recognition at Paris fashion week after meeting admirers at a vintage store. Celebrated for his innovative menswear, Otsuki has achieved viral success and was announced as a semi-finalist for the LVMH Prize, showcasing his unique blend of heritage and contemporary style.
During this season’s men’s fashion week in Paris, designer Soshi Otsuki experienced a notable moment of recognition while visiting the vintage store Chez Ammar. Inside the compact shop, he encountered a group of six individuals dressed in suits who were excited to meet him. According to Otsuki, upon revealing his identity, the young men exclaimed, “You’re Soshi Otsuki?!” and began to chant “Armani!” This incident highlights the increasing awareness and admiration for Otsuki among menswear enthusiasts.
Otsuki’s influence is gaining traction, particularly in the realm of social media, where he achieved viral success on Instagram during the previous season. His profile received a significant boost when the rapper A$AP Rocky donned one of Otsuki’s Armani-inspired suits on the cover of The Travel Almanac. As a result, Otsuki has observed a surge in sales, with 98% of his e-commerce clientele based in the United States. Despite the rising demand, Otsuki remains composed, stating, “I don’t feel any pressure from this increased recognition. If anything, I think it was too low up until now,” during a recent showroom walkthrough in Tokyo.
Further solidifying his status, Otsuki was recently announced as a semi-finalist for the prestigious LVMH Prize, along with Ryota Murakami of Pillings, a fellow designer and friend from their studies at Coconogacco. This is not Otsuki’s first foray into the competition; he was also part of the prize’s 2016 cohort. In the years since, he has developed not only his design aesthetics but also his business acumen. “Last time I was satisfied with just making it to the semi-finals, but this time I want to go further,” he remarked.
Otsuki’s design approach innovatively engages with traditional menswear codes, intertwining historical narratives of both Japanese and Western menswear. He has a unique ability to reinterpret past inspirations into contemporary clothing that resonates in today’s fashion landscape. This season, he expanded on the drapey, 1980s-inspired suits he introduced previously, amplifying the power shoulders on his street-rat grey jackets. These fabrics, reminiscent of Italian suiting, were woven in Bishu, Japan, showcasing a blend of cultural influences.
In addition to tailoring, the collection featured a wingtip tuxedo shirt adorned with shoulder pads, which added volume beneath a soft black cardigan. Some shirts were crafted from deadstock linen with distinctive lines sewn at the chest, serving to create a visually narrower silhouette, further accentuating the shoulders—the designer’s fascination rooted in his formative years practicing judo.
Otsuki’s collection also included plush shearling jackets and introduced menswear interpretations of womenswear, such as pencil skirts paired with oversized blazers. This marks a pivotal moment, as it is the first season where his venture into womenswear feels cohesive and intentional. Moreover, he showcased innovative design elements like baggy corduroy trousers featuring additional belt loops functioning as suspenders and accessories such as metal cigarette cases and buckled belts with integrated ashtrays.
Otsuki exhibits a stoic persona, yet his designs convey a vivid narrative. Observing his creations elicits one’s imagination of the ambiance within an upscale izakaya or the sound of a muscle car navigating Tokyo’s illuminated streets. Otsuki has emerged as one of the most compelling menswear designers in Japan in recent years, and the global fashion community is increasingly taking notice of his unique contributions to the industry.
Source: Noah Wire Services
