Takeshi Osumi’s first famous appearance was in 1996 as part of the group Shakkazombie, later recording 2 individual albums by himself. Music was precisely one of his major sources of inspiration, especially hip-hop.
After gaining some recognition with his brand Swagger, he debuted Phenomenon in 2004, obtaining lots of cult followers and carrying out one of the first streetwear collaborations with a high fashion brand, MCM. Sadly the brand filed bankruptcy in 2013.
He then launched MISTERGENTLEMAN along with Yuichi Yoshii, which is still active to this day and frequently one of the highlighted collections of Tokyo Fashion Week.
Osumi was known for his imaginative collections marrying expert tailoring with street style and outdoorsy influences, often incorporating pops of bright color and bold prints. He blurred gender lines, and even though he designed mainly for men, he attracted many female fans of his collections. One of his chief sources of inspiration was music, particularly hip-hop.
Takeshi Osumi passed out the past January 24th, and @mistergentle_man showcased its latest collection on the 20th of March, honoring the memory of the late designer, who worked in the collection from the hospital.
May he Rest In Peace.
Written by Victor Espadas
