The Urban Wilderness: A Visual Dialogue with Engineered Garments
Brooklyn-based artist Manabu Gaku Inada collaborated with Daiki Suzuki, head designer of Engineered Garments, to develop the central textile artworks for the Fall/Winter 2023 collection. The series pays homage to the "Heavy Duty Ivy" aesthetic—a seminal Japanese reinterpretation of American outdoor heritage from the 1970s. Drawing inspiration from legendary brands like Woolrich, L.L.Bean, and Lakeland, Gaku revisited these industrial origins to forge a singular, contemporary visual language.
Brooklyn-based artist Manabu Gaku Inada collaborated with Daiki Suzuki, head designer of Engineered Garments, to develop the central textile artworks for the Fall/Winter 2023 collection. The series pays homage to the "Heavy Duty Ivy" aesthetic—a seminal Japanese reinterpretation of American outdoor heritage from the 1970s. Drawing inspiration from legendary brands like Woolrich, L.L.Bean, and Lakeland, Gaku revisited these industrial origins to forge a singular, contemporary visual language.
Through a rigorous collaborative process, Gaku utilized a sophisticated mixed-media approach—fusing raw pencil sketches, sumi ink, photography, and digital collage—to preserve a tactile, handcrafted soul within the patterns. These artworks further served as the visual backbone for the collection's brand film, ensuring a seamless continuity between the garments and the narrative vision.
Brand: Nepenthes America, Engineered Garments
Artist: Manabu Gaku Inada
Year: 2023
Brand: Nepenthes America, Engineered Garments
Artist: Manabu Gaku Inada
Year: 2023
Left: Model photo by Masa Noguchi
Old Plaid artwork for ENGINEERED GARMENTS F/W23. 12oz Duck CVS
Left: Model photo by Masa Noguchi
Red Hunting Print Artwork for ENGINEERED GARMENTS F/W 23 French Twill
Forest Print Artwork for ENGINEERED GARMENTS F/W 23. French Twill
