Which is to say, really, that two months in London—and later, a month in New York City—would shape the direction of streetwear forever. That’s because everyone from NIGO to Virgil Abloh has been influenced by Fujiwara’s unique set of principles. So yes, there’s a reason he’s referred to as the “Godfather of Streetwear,” and no, there wouldn’t be an OFF-WHITE without him.

for the full piece (it's the cover story btw), get

HYPEBEAST Magazine – Issue 22:

The Singularity Issue.

Available here.

hiroshi fujiwara is still a rebel

what: a career retrospective on the godfather of streetwear.

when: published july 2018

intro:

The year is 1982. Michael Jackson has just released his sixth studio album—an unprecedented combination of funk and disco called Thriller. The boxy Cadillac Seville is the pinnacle of luxury. Teenagers, styling spiked neon hair and studded leather jackets, scowl while drinking beer on King’s Road in Chelsea. No one owns a smartphone. And an 18 year-old Hiroshi Fujiwara, still an art school student in Tokyo, has just landed in London, wide-eyed, sponge-like, and alone. Although he only stayed for two months, this initial visit would inform the entirety of his cultural perspective.