For sale here is a shirt from Japan’s Sacai label, one of the perhaps more avant-garde designers going at the moment that is not directly affiliated with Comme des Garcons (although she got her start with CDG and Junya Watanabe). Like the best of the Japanese labels, Sacai has a very strong visual aesthetic, incorporating technical elements, a liberal use of color, and some very high quality knits. They tend to run a close parallel to the Kolor label, which happens to be run by her husband Junichi Abe.
What we have here is Sacai’s pretty unique take on the classic striped tee. Abe seems to really enjoy doing different variations of these tees, as Sacai seems to release different iterations each season. It’s similar to what Yohji Yamamoto does, with his endless variations of the classic black blazer (and black tees for that matter). In this case we have a very high quality patchwork striped shirt. That is, the fabric is a medium-heavy knit cotton in a navy and black striped pattern. The same fabric is used throughout, although it has been reassembled in an asymmetrical patchwork style. This is the sort of thing where the stripes intentionally don’t line up and there are different-sized patches of fabric sewn together. It is a time consuming process requiring a lot more work than usual on pattern development and sewing, but the result is also pretty unique.
Sacai is one of those labels that produces in very limited quantities, and can be particularly hard (and expensive) to purchase outside of Japan. Retail on these tees was about $200 in Japan (and even more abroad). Get it here much more reasonably.
Size is labeled a 2 and fits between a medium and a large in my opinion. I measure the chest at 21.5”, shoulders at 18” and length at 26.5”. The shirt comes in lightly used, very good shape with no holes, tears or stains. Made in Japan.
Shipping from Japan to anywhere will be $24.