Time and Texture: The Fabric of the Sea
When Daiki Suzuki first approached Manabu Gaku Inada for the Fall/Winter 2022 collection, their initial focus was on the textile design. Understanding that fabric printing and garment sampling require a significantly longer lead time, the two immediately dove into a deep conceptual exchange.
Their search for a visual anchor narrowed down to nautical charts and lighthouse motifs—a natural fit for the season's maritime theme. To evoke the timeless soul of old maritime literature, Gaku utilized a nib pen to emulate the intricate, weathered style of 18th-century etchings.
Brand: Nepenthes America, Engineered Garments
Artist: Manabu Gaku Inada
Year: 2022
When Daiki Suzuki first approached Manabu Gaku Inada for the Fall/Winter 2022 collection, their initial focus was on the textile design. Understanding that fabric printing and garment sampling require a significantly longer lead time, the two immediately dove into a deep conceptual exchange.
Their search for a visual anchor narrowed down to nautical charts and lighthouse motifs—a natural fit for the season's maritime theme. To evoke the timeless soul of old maritime literature, Gaku utilized a nib pen to emulate the intricate, weathered style of 18th-century etchings.
Brand: Nepenthes America, Engineered Garments
Artist: Manabu Gaku Inada
Year: 2022
The "Toile" Aesthetic: Nautical Print on Heavy Twill
For the Bedford Jacket and Fatigue Pants, the intricate nautical map print is rendered with a unique conceptual twist. It echoes the raw look of a "toile"—a designer’s prototype—complete with hand-drawn lines used to measure the placement of elements. Printed on rugged Dark Navy Heavy Twill, this design blurs the line between the finished garment and the creative process, transforming technical measurements into a sophisticated, rhythmic pattern.
For the Bedford Jacket and Fatigue Pants, the intricate nautical map print is rendered with a unique conceptual twist. It echoes the raw look of a "toile"—a designer’s prototype—complete with hand-drawn lines used to measure the placement of elements. Printed on rugged Dark Navy Heavy Twill, this design blurs the line between the finished garment and the creative process, transforming technical measurements into a sophisticated, rhythmic pattern.
Gaku’s fictional nautical charts are printed on transparent sheets and layered to create a three-dimensional shadow box. A visual metaphor for the collection’s depth, where myth and cartography intersect in light and shadow.
Nautical Print on 12oz Denim
Anchors of Light:
From Archival Engravings to Pencil Sketches. Traced in raw graphite, these lighthouses recount the rugged history of America's coastal sentinels. Gaku’s hand-drawn lines merge historical research with an intimate contemplation of solitude—a silent, powerful homage to our ancestors' grit and endurance in the harsh ocean winds.
From Archival Engravings to Pencil Sketches. Traced in raw graphite, these lighthouses recount the rugged history of America's coastal sentinels. Gaku’s hand-drawn lines merge historical research with an intimate contemplation of solitude—a silent, powerful homage to our ancestors' grit and endurance in the harsh ocean winds.
A High-Definition Archive.
This lighthouse print brings Gaku’s detailed ink drawings to life on EG’s classic work shirts. Using digital precision and seamless textile layout, the artwork celebrates maritime storytelling and embeds historical resilience into everyday wear.
This lighthouse print brings Gaku’s detailed ink drawings to life on EG’s classic work shirts. Using digital precision and seamless textile layout, the artwork celebrates maritime storytelling and embeds historical resilience into everyday wear.
Nautical Archetypes: The Etched Aesthetic
In this standout illustration, Gaku employs a G-pen to emulate the classical precision of intaglio printmaking. By meticulously layering fine strokes, he creates a subtle sheen and textural complexity that defines old maritime literature. The motif of the stranded ship serves as a powerful anchor for the collection’s nautical theme, echoing the harsh realities of the lighthouse keeper’s world through a sophisticated, graphic lens.
In this standout illustration, Gaku employs a G-pen to emulate the classical precision of intaglio printmaking. By meticulously layering fine strokes, he creates a subtle sheen and textural complexity that defines old maritime literature. The motif of the stranded ship serves as a powerful anchor for the collection’s nautical theme, echoing the harsh realities of the lighthouse keeper’s world through a sophisticated, graphic lens.
The collection uses irregular print placement to suggest organic movement. By varying the position of the lighthouse motifs—especially on the banded collars—the design creates a refined collection that challenges mass-produced aesthetics. This lively arrangement fosters a personal connection with each garment, as every wearer has a unique composition of Gaku’s hand-drawn history.
Cartography of the Soul
Through meticulous ink-work, historical echoes, and the beauty of intentional irregularity, the FW22 textiles translate the rugged spirit of maritime life into a modern silhouette. These garments do not just tell a story of the sea—they offer a resilient skin for the wearer to navigate their own storms.
Through meticulous ink-work, historical echoes, and the beauty of intentional irregularity, the FW22 textiles translate the rugged spirit of maritime life into a modern silhouette. These garments do not just tell a story of the sea—they offer a resilient skin for the wearer to navigate their own storms.
