The Alchemy of the 80s: A Visual Dialogue.
The Engineered Garments Fall/Winter 2024 collection draws inspiration from the iconic silhouettes of Armani, Comme des Garçons, and Y's, fused with the vibrant energy of early 80s Pop Art.
This collection captures the era's mix of chaos and innovation, as artist Manabu “Gaku” Inada reflects on the sensory landscape of his youth—an era when the transition from Post-Punk to New Wave, driven by the rise of synthesizers and sampling, redefined visual culture. This raw energy found expression in self-published zines and Xerox-printed flyers, echoing the stark geometric designs of Russian Constructivism.
The Engineered Garments Fall/Winter 2024 collection draws inspiration from the iconic silhouettes of Armani, Comme des Garçons, and Y's, fused with the vibrant energy of early 80s Pop Art.
This collection captures the era's mix of chaos and innovation, as artist Manabu “Gaku” Inada reflects on the sensory landscape of his youth—an era when the transition from Post-Punk to New Wave, driven by the rise of synthesizers and sampling, redefined visual culture. This raw energy found expression in self-published zines and Xerox-printed flyers, echoing the stark geometric designs of Russian Constructivism.
As an art student, Gaku was profoundly influenced by the avant-garde visuals of The Art of Noise, the glitch aesthetic of Max Headroom, and the rhythmic complexity of Zbigniew Rybczynski’s video art—all while being immersed in the defiant, street-level radicalism of Thrasher magazine.
Brand: Nepenthes America, Engineered Garments
Artist: Manabu Gaku Inada
Year: 2024
Brand: Nepenthes America, Engineered Garments
Artist: Manabu Gaku Inada
Year: 2024
Gaku re-envisioned the principles of Russian Constructivism and Art Deco, translating their historical geometry into the soaring silhouettes of contemporary New York skyscrapers.
Originally conceived as a repeating textile pattern, I reimagined the design on a larger scale to amplify its visual impact and structural presence.
This work reimagines classical Italian Renaissance motifs, boldly fusing them with the raw energy of graffiti and the defiant aesthetic of 1980s New Wave culture.
Born from a physical cut-and-paste process, the original artwork channels the raw DIY spirit and defiant energy of 1980s skate graphics.
