The Official Artisanal "streetwear" footwear (boots, shoes, sandals) thread (Guidi, CCP, Augusta, M.

[Lohikaarme]

Jun is a good designer so if he takes over cool.

Jun does cool stuff sometimes. Some of his WJK and some of his JunHashimoto stuff touch on a more "artisanal" style but a good amount of it has always been more contemporary street-whatever stuff (think camouflage overshirts). This is clearly more in-line with the street-boring JH/WJK and not the cool replicas/artisanal/fantastic fabrics that he can use.

For the guy who was probably Japan's number one Carpe fan, I'm utterly puzzled why he's pulling this.

 

[merz]

For the guy who was probably Japan's number one Carpe fan, I'm utterly puzzled why he's pulling this.

in case it isn't plainly obvious, the whole thing is a dispiriting cash-grab done by unscrupulous people, aimed at similarly unscrupulous audience (that, in the case of 1+1=3 at least, does not exist). the joke is ultimately on those behind it.

 

[sinnedk]

@merz thats the casual line I believe, I skimmed it but gave it no thought.

@Lohikaarme yea that’s a good point.

I stand corrected after looking closer yea that’s boring. And I assume they are paying him a lot to create a “brand” so that’s why. Not like wjk or JH brand sold well.

 

[Lohikaarme]

in case it isn't plainly obvious, the whole thing is a dispiriting cash-grab done by unscrupulous people, aimed at similarly unscrupulous audience (that, in the case of 1+1=3 at least, does not exist). the joke is ultimately on those behind it.

I mean yeah, but this is utterly visionless. I can't tell where street-WJK/Junhashimoto ends and CDM begins. They could have made modern versions of the older CDiem designs at least to cashgrab the old Carpe fans but keep it... whatever for the new crowd. Instead it's just boring.

 

[merz]

this is utterly visionless.

japanese cdiem situation summed up in one short sentence. i was initially excited for what the future of the work could result in through the japanese revival, but perhaps it is clear now that those tasked with bringing it back are lacking the barest understanding of what it was, or what made it connect in the manner it did with the people who have remained enthusiastic about it through the years. its a bit more than just slapping 'carpe diem' onto random objects and offering them up for sale.

 

[sinnedk]

Couldn’t agree more @merz!

Here is the thing. I can’t ever find CDiem in a 44 so I was happy to see greatest hits. But expansion is a wtf to me. That said I needed some lace ups and decided to snag s23m.

 

[Synthese]

in case it isn't plainly obvious, the whole thing is a dispiriting cash-grab done by unscrupulous people, aimed at similarly unscrupulous audience (that, in the case of 1+1=3 at least, does not exist). the joke is ultimately on those behind it.

Is Jun 'behind' it? Or simply attached as a designer somehow? Either way, CDM looks to be, if not actual re-brands of existing WJK pieces, then pretty close to it. Perhaps we'll have a v-kei revival?

On the occasions when I've met Jun, he seems like the very definition of a pragmatist. I think that the last time I saw him at Pitti he told me he didn't like the camo shirts he had brought (and was wearing), and only had made them because Pitti people like camo. He also once referred to CDIEM fans as 'a cult.' On the other hand, he was using his showroom to present m_mori with Altieri on-hand when I saw him in Tokyo in...2015?

I'm not sure what, if anything, this says about CDM/etc., but I am not at all surprised by his ability to turn out product.

 

[Zamb]

Carpe Diem as it was once known and revered is dead. it is not coming back.
this is nothing new, brands have a specific and singular voice under their founding designer only to lose that focus and sometimes die if the brand in some way or another loses the influence of the founding designer.

Look at what is happening at hemut lang.........
Look at what happened at Sander.
Artisanal Brands are not immune to these kind of things. Lagerfeld once said an institution to get something from it should be treatedc like a whore and for him Chanel was an institution. Its no different with Carpe, its obvious its owners did not acquire it to relive the Glory days, they bought it to make a profit, and whatever that requires is what they will do

 

[merz]

its obvious its owners did not acquire it to relive the Glory days, they bought it to make a profit, and whatever that requires is what they will do

failure to understand what one assumes to be and desires to make profitable isn't, as you've illustrated, anything new. what is strange here is that those seeking to make profit have chosen an unlikely candidate for return on investment: an extremely niche brand that, despite volumes of surrounding mythology, was neither conceived to perform well as product nor did in actuality. and so one struggles with the logic of seeing it turned into a thing so bland and free of personality or distinguishing quality. why would literally anyone buy this? at least the shoe remakes come with some, however unscrupulous, audience.

 

[nahneun]

failure to understand what one assumes to be and desires to make profitable isn't, as you've illustrated, anything new. what is strange here is that those seeking to make profit have chosen an unlikely candidate for return on investment: an extremely niche brand that, despite volumes of surrounding mythology, was neither conceived to perform well as product nor did in actuality. and so one struggles with the logic of seeing it turned into a thing so bland and free of personality or distinguishing quality. why would literally anyone buy this? at least the shoe remakes come with some, however unscrupulous, audience.

The shoe remake (after the first season) lost all of what made carpes desireable. They just look like the jun hashimoto versions, which, by all means, are still very handsome footwear, but they’re lacking the 2% that made carpes special

 

[skeen7908]

If only altieri was dead, he could roll over in his grave

Maybe one day someone will buy CCPs label, and release some cargo shorts and polos under the brand

 

[Synthese]

failure to understand what one assumes to be and desires to make profitable isn't, as you've illustrated, anything new. what is strange here is that those seeking to make profit have chosen an unlikely candidate for return on investment: an extremely niche brand that, despite volumes of surrounding mythology, was neither conceived to perform well as product nor did in actuality. and so one struggles with the logic of seeing it turned into a thing so bland and free of personality or distinguishing quality. why would literally anyone buy this? at least the shoe remakes come with some, however unscrupulous, audience.

I obviously don't know the details of the transaction, but perhaps in the case of the shoes it's as simple as the new owners purchasing a name - similar to 35 Summers buying a name like Rocky Mountain Featherbed, or any of the other revivals of British heritage brands over the years. At the very least, you don't have to build from zero.

Plus, whether or not you perceive blandness, the brand name did/does have some amount of cachet (it showed up randomly in GQ/Esquire on the feet of celebrities that internet hobbyists assumed had in-the-know stylists), and you could argue that the design is now classic or unique or whatever. You may be underestimating the number of wealthy LA artistes who are shopping at Barneys and recognize, however distantly, the name. In addition, for what I imagine is a large part of the internet community it's an aspirational brand (whether or not that was the intent doesn't matter) that's now within reach. Those people aren't going to track down and buy m_mori, but they might jump at the chance to buy marked-down Carpe Diem. I'm not certain where the 'unscrupulous' comes from.

If you're searching for a deeper reason or 'logic' to the reboot, I think you've already described it (accurately) as a money grab; it wouldn't have been undertaken if the plan was to achieve the opposite. Who knows - maybe it will disappear again in a season or two, and prove you right.

 

[LA Guy]

If only altieri was dead, he could roll over in his grave

Maybe one day someone will buy CCPs label, and release some cargo shorts and polos under the brand

Cargo shorts no, but I could use some cool cargos in heavy canvas. If CCP did that, I might be tempted to buy, for reals.

 

[Zamb]

If only altieri was dead, he could roll over in his grave

Maybe one day someone will buy CCPs label, and release some cargo shorts and polos under the brand

As i understand it from a reliable source CCP IS Working on a collection. as to the release timeline, I cannot say but it is said to be in advance stages

 

[nyarkies]

As i understand it from a reliable source CCP IS Working on a collection. as to the release timeline, I cannot say but it is said to be in advance stages

Lol! This has been the story since 2012.