Japanese designer Takahiro Miyashita, has announced that he’s dropping out of his brand The Soloist.
His FW25 collection, “Black-and-White Realism”, was his swan song for the label – he called it his “coda”. The brand will continue without him.
“We, the company and I, have decided to pursue different directions, each grateful for the other,” Miyashita said in a statement. “While the decision may be marked by a sense of sadness and melancholy (it wouldn’t be The Soloist if it wasn’t), creative new beginnings for everyone in today’s times is rare and special.”
He added: “With a vision of simply crafting well-made clothes, every single piece was a music note. 15 years on, the time has come for what has become a symphony, to close.”
After closing down his previous brand Number (N)ine, a punk and avant-garde label – which he founded in 1996, aged 23 – Miyashita founded The Soloist in 2010, with an equally avant-garde aesthetic but with a more functional approach that prioritised craftsmanship. TAKAHIROMIYASHITATheSoloist quickly found its identity within the culture, pushing boundaries with its punk-inspired silhouettes, layered tailoring and melancholic vibes – collabing with the likes Moncler, Suicoke and Converse.
Through the years, The Soloist has built a cult following with its subcultural, raw vision. It’s the end of an era. Miyashita will be missed from the brand, but he is lowkey hinting that his career isn’t over: “Rock and Roll never dies,” he said. “The music keeps on playing, louder and louder. Just on a different stage. A new band, a new noise, catch me.”
Featured image Takahiro Miyashita The Soloist©
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