SACAI (1999)

SACAI IS A BRAND FOUNDED BY CHITOSE ABE IN 1999 IN TOKYO

INDEX

1. Chitose Abe
2. The debut
3. Style
4. The man
5. The bags
6. Flagship stores
7. Creative Director and Businesswoman

CHITOSE ABE

Chitose Abe, founder of the Sacai brand, was born in Gifu (Japan) in ’65 and spoke the language of high fashion from a young age. She is a great lover of the avant-garde, and she remembers how her clothes shocked her mother:

“He refused to go out with me, and even cried sometimes! But for me, fashion is a big part of my life; it’s a way of expressing myself ”

Chitose Abe

After graduating from Nagoya, Chitose Abe moves to Tokyo with her pockets filled with nothing but her hopes. Her fortuitous move: she soon collaborates with her Comme des Garçons where she, for eight years, will be responsible for the knitwear. Later she carries out a long apprenticeship with  Junya Watanabe, former assistant of Rei Kawakubo long honored with the honor of signing a line of her own.

Chitose Abe therefore trained with the greatest exponents of conceptual fashion. From  Comme des Garçons he learns to make clothes much more than simple clothes, without losing that ever more pressing need for practicality in the world of fashion.

THE DEBUT

Chitose Abefonda Sacai in 1999 in Tokyo. The brand name is a variation of her maiden name, Sakai. It is strange to think that the new men’s and women’s high fashion label was born as a collection of only a few shirts sold right at the designer’s home. Chitose Abe says the desire to open her own line came from growing tired of the sartorial restrictions of new motherhood:

“All I wore were jeans, chinos, v-neck sweaters, T-shirts and polo shirts. I thought: is that it? Is this what I want to wear?” And so I started knitting and designing clothes: a capsule collection of fashion items. I took orders with the crawling baby”

The designer thus devises the concept of hybridization, which has now become the common language of fashion. With the support of Rei Kawakubo, Sacai flourishes: if in the early years, she sold “only” in Europe and the United States, in 2009 she shows in Paris. To this day the headquarters remain in Tokyo, Japan.

STYLE

Sacai embodies the idea that women can wear what they want, how they want when they want. She uses hybridization through juxtapositions of contrasting textures, transforming clothes with unexpected shapes and silhouettes. Chitose Abe’s interest is in creating clothes that are unique and timeless, innovative and experimental. Sacai creations start from the reworking of the classic taste, up to designs suitable for any occasion.

Sacai woman

The brand advocates a clear message of feminine strength, but without the masculine aesthetic, which is often considered an integral part of successful women. As per the stylist:

“ I enjoy mixing denim and women’s dresses. In Tokyo, there is no clear line between formal and casual clothes. People go to work in the morning and to a party in the evening with the same outfit. I always blend many elements into a single garment that can be worn at all times of the day. “

Collaboration with Nike

The collections are always designed for women who live a busy life. Traditional shapes are transformed and combined with an avant-garde taste innovation. Yet they remain easy to wear; they exude elegant practicality. Sacai has won the praise of Karl Lagerfeld, Suzy Menkes, and Anna Wintour. Additionally, the designer has collaborated with Moncler, Dover Street Market, and Nike.

THE MAN

Sacai man

Sacai men’s collection, launched in the spring of 2009, is based on the same philosophy and approach as the women’s collection. The clothes draw from tradition, they are a reinterpretation of basic items that every man has in his wardrobe. But imbued with elegance. Currently, both the women’s and men’s collections are on show in Paris.

THE BAGS

That Bag, fall/winter 2017

Chitose Abe presents the first collection of Sacai bags for Spring and Summer 2017, the eighteenth anniversary of the brand. They are recognizable bag archetypes, cut and spliced ​​using Sacai’s typical “hybrid” aesthetic. The designer transfers her personal concept of couture craftsmanship and playful design to the bags, a fusion of different lines, styles, and materials. Protegée of Rei Kawakubo, Chitose Abe works with Katie Hillier, accessory designer, and consultant for many brands, who helps her transform her aesthetic into bags that are sometimes unexpected, certainly unique in the crowded accessories market. All pieces that, explain the designer, “I or I would wear”. She adds:

“I decided to design this collection simply because I was able to imagine in detail the bag I wanted to create, in line with the Sacai style. I project the aesthetics of the hybrid into bags, re-proposing classic models to be used, however, in a different way. I believe that when a woman chooses a bag, she wants to show her identity. Therefore, to win a successful place in this sector of the fashion industry, we too must indulge and share this desire. “

FLAGSHIP STORES

Sacai opened its first flagship store in September 2011 in Minamiaoyama, Tokyo. Chitose Abe chose to work with architect Sou Fujimoto, known for his integration of contrary elements, with whom she closely identified. The concept behind the store was to create an environment that not only reflects the vision of Sacai as a brand but is a retail store with a concept that is in line with the verisimilitude of the dynamic culture of Tokyo as a city. The Tokyo store was followed by stores in Hong Kong, Beijing, and Seoul. Collections are available in over 230 stores in 40 countries. Furthermore, the brand is sold in about 30 Italian boutiques including 10 Corso Como in Milan.

Paris Fashion Week, Autumn/Winter 2018/19

CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND BUSINESSWOMAN

With a 100% stake in Sacai, Chitose Abe is a fresh voice within an industry that often ignores the economic side in favor of outright creativity. “ I make clothes with the head of a businesswoman ”, said the designer in 2011, “ not like an artist ”. The determination to succeed and the innate ability to understand what women want have led to a resounding international success.

“The fact that I am designer and president is the most important reason Sacai can remain free” Chitose Abe

This approach to freedom in every aspect of his company makes for a delightful addition to an industry often saturated with repetition.

COLLABORATION WITH DIOR

In 2021 Chitose Abe collaborates with Kim Jones in a limited edition collection, Dior Men x Sacai: which combines Japanese aesthetics with French couture.

dior x sacai

The capsule mixes Sacai’s sporty-chic, Japanese, and minimal attitude with Dior’s French and artisanal tradition, giving life to 57 pieces. They make up an ideal and modular mini wardrobe thanks to easily combinable garments and neutral and monochrome shades such as black and white.

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