DAVID BOWIE
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Thunderbox, from designer Tsuyoshi<br />
Morita, is a surprisingly well-kept secret<br />
on the Tokyo fashion scene. Word of it<br />
spreads purely via its fans’ backs across<br />
the city as fellow streetwear aficionados clock<br />
the geek-chic references and gravitate to the<br />
Thunderbox mothership. Accordingly, the<br />
recently opened flagship is named Nazo no<br />
Mise—literally, “the mystery shop”—and, in<br />
keeping with the designer’s subcultural leanings,<br />
is located in Nakano over in West Tokyo,<br />
a stone’s throw from the subculture mecca of<br />
Nakano Broadway.<br />
The streetwear style Thunderbox subscribes<br />
to is in line with a lot of the hype-fuelled<br />
brands of the Harajuku backstreets. But once in<br />
the store, it’s an altogether welcoming experience—even<br />
if the store staff are known to wear<br />
the Thunderbox masks that accompany each<br />
season. The masks themselves are made from<br />
various pieces of subcultural paraphernalia:<br />
for the gaming-themed collection, masks are<br />
made from old controller and Game Boy parts;<br />
and for the “mecha”-themed output, Gundam<br />
plastic model kits find themselves repurposed.<br />
This approach extends directly to the clothes<br />
themselves, wherein, like the masks, various<br />
subcultural references are dissected and arranged,<br />
always with a sense of humor, and<br />
crucially with a sense of style.<br />
It’s this all-important sense of style that separates<br />
Thunderbox from the usual geek-chic<br />
fare. Its references are kept relatively guarded<br />
but also pleasantly obscure, that only those in<br />
the know will ... well, know.<br />
In the upcoming season, the designer’s ongoing<br />
affair with retro games gets center stage.<br />
Foreign fans will be delighted to see a range of<br />
items inspired by the color scheme and lines<br />
of both Nintendo’s Japanese Famicom and the<br />
Western NES turn up in competing designs.<br />
Even the ubiquitous NES Zapper turns up in<br />
fashion form. If that last sentence lost you, this<br />
might not be the brand for you. But elsewhere<br />
in the output, there’s bound to be a reference<br />
that appeals, whether it be the red arm bands<br />
inspired by legendary avant-garde electronic<br />
act Yellow Magic Orchestra, or any number of<br />
on-the-nose nods to Star Wars. The eclectic<br />
mix of references is not only well-observed, but<br />
also well-executed. D-pads turn up as buttons,<br />
8-bit characters are embroidered, and it just<br />
satisfies the craving to wear your subcultural<br />
affiliations in a way that any number of halfhearted<br />
collaborations and merchandise can’t.<br />
Shop visitors will discover the current<br />
graffiti and kung-fu themed collection on the<br />
racks, as well as some of the fixed items that<br />
turn up every season, including a particularly<br />
popular Game Boy-themed riding jacket, where<br />
unbelievably the buttons, D-pad, and even<br />
speaker slits are included in the cut of the<br />
jacket. Those looking to get started can easily<br />
buy into the accessories, including energy<br />
power-up-themed studded bracelets; failing<br />
that, the snapbacks and headwear are an easy<br />
entry point. At the other end of the spectrum,<br />
while designer Morita likes to keep the label<br />
open to all—especially on the price—he does<br />
venture into one-offs and limited runs of more<br />
extreme items. A particular highlight is a Tetsuo<br />
(from manga Akira)-inspired shirt, where one<br />
sleeve seems to be mutating before your very<br />
eyes. Refreshingly, no matter where you look,<br />
you can feel the designer’s sincere admiration<br />
for the source material in every last stitch.<br />
If that has piqued your interest, you can find<br />
the brand online—but a visit to the Nakano<br />
store is truly recommended. Not only does it<br />
give you a chance to see the brand in its real<br />
cultural context, but it’s also home to an ultrarare<br />
original gacha machine from Cosmos,<br />
and a fully functional Street Fighter arcade<br />
machine, where I am currently 2-1 up on the<br />
designer. In essence, this is Nakano culture<br />
distilled in fashion form. And while an essential<br />
part of any subculture is hoping not too many<br />
people catch on, this is one brand for whom the<br />
big time is only a matter of time.<br />
www.thunder-box.jp<br />
Photos by Samuel Thomas<br />
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