Summary
Showing off your love of anime and looking fashionable doesn’t have to be impossible anymore! Japan is often at the forefront of making “otaku fashion” something that is actually fashionable, with more and morecollaborations between anime studios and fashion brands. This summer,Studio Ghiblihas teamed up with not a Japanese brand this time but a famous Western one - Levi’s!
The new collaboration was announced last week between the denim giant and one of Japan’s biggest animation studios. The result is a unique line of denim products that will definitely make you stand out in the crowd, combining otaku life with modern street fashion. It is not the first time thatStudio Ghiblihas collaborated for a limited time with a brand to produce special pieces of clothing, but this particular line really stands out as more interesting than usual.
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Levi’s designs are all based specifically on 1997’sPrincess Mononoke, one ofStudio Ghibli’s most famous pieces. The movie has a strong environmental message, set deep in a magical forest protected by many animal guardians and other spirits. The main character, Ashitaka, has to work with the fabledPrincess Mononoketo protect the forest from being cut down by big industry. Set entirely outside in a rough-and-tumble environment,Princess Mononokeis a good match for a line of totally denim clothing by one of the biggest names in the business.
According to the news release, the reason behind the collaboration is that both Levi’s and Studio Ghibli are two of the most recognizable names in their respective businesses. Both are committed to producing results of the highest quality while embodying their own unique styles. The clothing items produced by this collaboration are listed as “works of art, with poetry woven into every piece.”
All the items in the fashion line are meant torepresent the environmental message in the original storyofPrincess Mononoke, capturing not only the characters but also the feeling of the movie. Pieces include the San & Wolf Trucker Jacket (¥34,100, $239USD) and matching Ashitaka 501® ‘93 Jeans (¥23,100, $162USD), which mix the green forest along with the leading characters, and the Nightwalker Denim Kimono Jacket (¥24,200, $169USD) and the Kodama Denim Overall (¥26,400, $185USD) which focus more on the forest spirits.
In addition to these iconic denim items, a few special t-shirts, a bag, and a coin purse are also part of the collaboration. The items are meant to be worn together, and according to the press release, this “symbolizes the cinema’s rhythmic contrast betweenbeautifully quiet moments and frenzied action scenes.” Whether one can truly achieve that with fashion is questionable, but there’s no doubt you will make a lasting impression at least!
MORE:What Can Still Be Learned From Princess Mononoke
you’re able to buy thePrincess Mononokex Levi’s collaboration items at the Levi’s Harajuku Flagship Shop, or on the Levi’s Online Store.
