My Favourite Fashion Brand – Neighborhood
Neighborhood
Founded by Shinsuke Takizawa, Neighborhood found notable success in the street fashion scenes of Ura-Harajuku. Spending time in “Urahara’s” second-hand, concession stores it was impossible to ignore the punk-inspired, high-quality jackets and denim produced by Neighborhood. Intrigued by the aesthetic of Americana, I would gradually seek them out on resale platforms and keep updated with their numerous sneaker collaborations. Despite not owning many of their pieces, Neighborhood embodies my favourite elements of fashion: streetwear, craftsmanship, and consistency.
PLANET
Sustainability, in recent years, has been at the forefront of nearly every critique of the fashion industry, rightfully so. Some brands have taken initiative to become more transparent with the public in the ways they approach sustainability. While other brands like Neighborhood provide limited information on their labour and environmental policies.
PEOPLE
As one of the pioneers of the Urahara wave, Neighborhood appealed to the market through their, at the time, radical designs. Their consumer demographic was and are mainly teenagers and young adults who were “[beginning to inherit] a passion for their origins and core beliefs while ditching the ‘value’ of luxury outside brands” (Eng). At the same time still seeking subtle elements of Western culture in order to challenge Japan’s conformist culture. Neighborhood being a Japanese brand while still sourcing some creativity from the US punk culture met this change in demand and mindset.
PROFIT
Neighborhood has undeniably reached international success with high-profile sneaker collaborations with brands such as Converse and Adidas to even a camping furniture line with Helinox. Their heavily sought-out sneaker collaborations are usually significantly marked up on reselling platforms indicating a dedicated consumer base. Their clothing pieces are priced in the hundreds which speak to their exclusivity and presumably, is only possible with adequate financial funds.
PURPOSE
Neighborhood’s pieces manifest themselves through creator Takizawa’s inspiration from the UK and American culture. However, they do not just “lift and plagiarise…; rather, they enhance them with their own unique sense of style” (Hellqvist). Since its opening, the brand has maintained its workwear or military style on which they graft elements of punk, rock fashion like distressing and bandana prints. This consistency helped establish Neighborhood as a timeless fashion house unwavered by the pressures of trends… among a host of other factors. The purpose of Neighborhood transcends beyond just fabric to be worn, rather it belongs in a community of individuals who prize craftsmanship, function, and style.
Eng, Eddie. “Pioneers of Urahara: The Past and Future of Japanese Streetwear.” HYPEBEAST, HYPEBEAST, 16 Oct. 2014, https://hypebeast.com/2014/10/pioneers-of-urahara-the-past-and-future-of-japanese-streetwear.
Hellqvist, David. “Love Thy Neighbor: Shinsuke Takizawa Dissects the Role of Gap in Japanese Americana.” HYPEBEAST, HYPEBEAST, 11 Oct. 2016, https://hypebeast.com/2016/10/shinsuke-takizawa-neighborhood-gap-interview.