Stüssy / Twoness

An important item in Shin’s path as a design and artist was a mask specially made for Michael Kopelman, featuring the Stüssy logo. It gained a life of it’s own over the next couple of years. His hand-made style and aesthetic has remained often behind the scenes as he’s worked with a variety of brands over the years to parallel his work being shown in exhibition settings. His approach to appropriation and clever twist on classic items has earned him am underground following and when we approached Shin, he was excited to work with a brand he’d grown up with in Japan. Combining Shin’s use of vintage garments, Stüssy archive items and some of the brand’s most storied graphics, Shin has made a capsule of one-of-a-kind pieces for Stüssy.

The collection, “International Sewing Tribe” is available now, only at Dover Street Market in Los Angeles and New York and www.stussy.co.uk.

About Twoness

Twoness is a New York-based brand by Shin Murayama. Best known for his masks, Shin has been exhibiting his work since 2013 in Tokyo, New York, Paris, Athens and Moscow, and has worked on special collaborations with Takahiromiyashita TheSoloist, Nepenthes, and Alyx. Twoness isn’t so much a traditional brand, but a place that Shin can explore and express his ideas through three dimensional items. Some are purely for display, some to be worn and some for function—Shin’s expression is often clever, playful and surprising.

Each of Shin’s pieces are handmade, one of a kind and are timeless in their design and craft.

Interview with Founder: Shin Murayama

When did you first start Twoness, and what were you doing before the brand?

Twoness’ first season was SS14. I started the project 3-4 months after my first solo exhibition that showcased the masks I made between 2008 and 2013.

When did you move from Japan to New York? Were you designing in Japan? What was your first job?

I moved to New York 10 years ago, when I was 31. In Japan I worked on several projects and fashion labels as a designer in my 20s.

iii. You’ve worked with some great brands, are there any projects that are special for you?

I only work with people I respect. Every brand I have collaborated with is special for me. If you ask me about my favorite pieces, I will choose the Hat Face Mask series. Especially the Stüssy hat mask I made as a gift for Michael Kopelman of Gimme5 has played an important role in my career. I also like masks made of vintage cowboy boots and the wig made of Nike socks. The interest in utilizing the potentials of existing products and turning them into an entirely new piece motivates me a lot.

When the Stüssy project came up, what about working with Stüssy was interesting to you?

Speaking of the special brand asked above, I think people who grew up in the early ‘90s like me have special feeling for Stüssy. The skull, crown, and dice. It was very interesting to work on the iconic graphics I have been familiar with since the era, but the most important thing was that reproducing those Stussy’s signature items in a more hand-made way. We had the idea from the very first of this project.

How did you come up with the idea for “International Sewing Tribe”?

Sewing is the only thing I have been doing since I was 18. When I was young, original members of the International Stussy Tribe were my heroes. The varsity jacket they were wearing was one of the items I really wanted but never got. Also, I had The House of Beauty and Culture in the back of my head when I came up with the idea. My work has been strongly influenced by the London’s craft collective. So I guess the name was made up from a mix of my respect for two different cultural groups.

They way you make your ideas come to life is really unique, have you always been able to think and then create in this way?

Ideas are everything to me. Ideas always come first. Before I have a clear idea of what to do, I don’t do anything but just think. Finding a solution to a challenge and providing a new value. These are the only things I have in my mind when designing, and that’s how my pieces have been created.

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