I recently got the chance to attend STEADYNEWYORK®'s latest exhibition 'JAPAN BY ANY MEANS'. The exhibition features the pieces from STEADYNEWYORK®'s current collection of the same name, showcasing expertly curated flannels and Japanese memorabilia in 16 distinct flannel pieces that reference different locations and cultural facets in Japan. I got the chance to sit down with creative pioneer of STEADYNEWYORK®, and friend, Cal Wu, to talk about this latest collection. Cal was able to give lots of insight on intentional design choices, creating art through the medium of clothes, and Japanese fashion and culture through the lens of his experiences and brand, STEADYNEWYORK®
Peep the full interview below:
20XX:You first showed this collection as an exhibition, positioning each flannel as an art piece to be viewed and experienced as such. What significance does the relationship between fine art and fashion play in your life and craft at STEADYNEWYORK®?
Cal Wu: That’s a great question - As an artist whose medium is clothing, arriving at that area between art and fashion is the intention behind STEADYNEWYORK®.
I heard somewhere early on that art deals in eliciting emotions which I think really shaped my POV and characterizes my work. With, ‘JAPAN BY ANY MEANS’, the hope with the collection is that folks are spurred to recall warm flashbacks, an excitement towards an unknown, recontextualize what they know, laugh at it, and relate.
I’m also aware that while art, my pieces are still clothes. So switching between art-brain and fashion-brain, colors should catch the eye, textures good to the touch, and sizes inclusive when possible. Luckily, fashion is art. But my hope is that folks love STEADYNEWYORK® because of the statements and not for the stitch count.
How important are fine details in this collection, compared to other flannel collections you've done?
The details are everything! In my past work, the fine details were within the garments - the patterning, silhouette styles, buttons, and patina, especially. What stories have these garments seen and lived through?
v In ‘JAPAN BY ANY MEANS’ I introduce a curated collection of Japanese and American-related vintage memorabilia spanning the ‘50s to early 2000s. The memorabilia was tailored specifically to each of the 16 pieces and stories told through this collection. The garments were also repaired with a new patching style and even altered into different silhouettes. In ‘JAPAN BY ANY MEANS’ the details like patina came about naturally, but also proactively as I thoughtfully reworked them for their new life in New York.
What's some Japanese fashion shit that wouldn't fly in NYC?
I think that most Japanese fashion would fly in New York. Not to be Tokyo-centric, but Tokyo is like a distorted, funhouse mirror reflection of New York and vice versa, so if it weren’t already, I’d argue that Japanese fashion should have a place here too as both cities are such beacons for individuality. Some of these hairstyles on the Japanese though—.
Which of the locations you sourced your flannels from felt most like home and why?
1 to 1, I’d say Tokyo again cause of all the ways it parallels New York. There’s just an abundance to sift through from the mom/pop stalls, seasoned shops, and neighborhood fleas. Energy-wise, I felt most at home moving about in Osaka. It’s all person-to-person, perspective, and place but in Tokyo, you can feel the attention, or worse, judgment. Osaka seems to carry an, albeit more casual sense of “I’mma mind my business” that we’re familiar with here back home.
Which flannel do you feel most grabs the essence of Japan in an authentic Japanese way?
That’s tough! Can I say two? I’mma just commit. It’s Blossom. I joke that there isn’t a person on the internet who isn’t familiar with sakuras but I think it’s true. Having traveled to Japan specifically to source during that season I wasn’t entirely sure how much of it was Western infatuation or if Japanese folks were really as into it as thought to be. I’m here to report that the answer is yes. The colors - not just pink but, pink with green, the shapes, motifs, cultural gravitas, the reverence runs deep. Blossom checks all the boxes.
(It’s really like Christmas in New York.)
Which flannel do you think New Yorkers would gravitate to the most and why?
I’d say Wisteria reminds me the most of New York. (Releasing in Delivery 4.) A Purple/Green colorway isn’t commonly embraced so it feels pretty reminiscent of the city's punk history and spirit. The vintage memorabilia in its connection to flowers, now through a New York lens leads me straight to zaza. I’m seeing exotic snacks at St. Marks, edibles packaging in East Tremont, and bongs in Bushwick. Wisteria is a 1 of 1 controlled substance.
If you could say one thing to all of NYC right now, what would it be?
They said that art, culture, and fashion move in a pendulum between America who makes it, and Japan who refines it. This time, New York reinvents it.
The first few drops of 'JAPAN BY ANY MEANS' are available now on the STEADYNEWYORK® website.
Like our work? Follow us on Instagram and Subscribe to our Newsletter!
