Image from Lookbook (Left). Photo by Jima. Quartet band graphic by Manabu Inada.
Engineered Garments SS18 — Caribbean Studies
The Spring/Summer 2018 collection was inspired by the Caribbean, particularly the themes of love and music. The collection drew inspiration from a diverse range of musical genres, including salsa, mambo, rumba, cha-cha-cha, reggae, and rockers, as well as iconic musicians, places, and cultural references such as Bob Marley, Cuba, Ry Cooder, Kid Creole & the Coconuts, Jamaica, Trench Town, and Rasta.
The Spring/Summer 2018 collection was inspired by the Caribbean, particularly the themes of love and music. The collection drew inspiration from a diverse range of musical genres, including salsa, mambo, rumba, cha-cha-cha, reggae, and rockers, as well as iconic musicians, places, and cultural references such as Bob Marley, Cuba, Ry Cooder, Kid Creole & the Coconuts, Jamaica, Trench Town, and Rasta.
The brand’s Director and Head Designer, Daiki Suzuki, worked closely with the creative team to translate these influences into the visual language of the collection. At Suzuki’s request, Manabu Gaku Inada developed the individual T-shirt artworks, using a diverse range of media—including watercolor, ink, and paper craft—to create each design as a distinct piece of visual expression. This hands-on, multi-media approach brought texture, character, and a sense of originality to the collection’s graphic language.
Client: Nepenthes USA, Engineered Garments
Art Direction, Design, Illustration: Manabu Gaku Inada
Year: 2018
Original photo of Kingston graphic. Cut out the painted paper and glue it onto the board. Photo by Manabu Inada.
Unused graphic of Love & Music
Early concept drawing. Concept art by Manabu Inada
