A Day in the Life of WTAPS Designer Tetsu Nishiyama

Tetsu Nishiyama, the founder and designer of influential brand WTAPS, is a self-described atheist, yet does believe in certain Taoist values. Specifically, he believes in a certain ‘fluidity of life’ as detailed in a recent video piece by Silly Thing. Drawing commentary from an interview with Obscura Magazine and marking the latest episode of ObscuraVision, the video piece takes a brief look inside the designer’s daily routine, following him as he travels from meals with his team in the studio, on a motorcycle ride, and skateboarding around to the GIP Store in Tokyo. A collected, calm persona, the interview also contains some tips on how a successful Nishiyama finds fulfillment in his busy life.

HAVEN Sits Down with Tetsu Nishiyama of WTAPS

Despite all his successes, his regarded vision of aesthetics, or his intricate ties within Japanese street fashion, WTAPS‘ fearless leader Tetsu Nishiyama is exceedingly modest. This admirable quality manifests itself in his latest interview with HAVEN Shop. Having been deeply entrenched, albeit instrumental in Japanese fashion, the interview takes readers through how a copy machine started Nishiyama’s became a vehicle for creativity, his close relationship with A Bathing Ape’s NIGO, his complete rejection of trends, and how a flagship store is necessarily more than a retail point for a brand. Read the full scale of Tetsu Nishiyama’s intriguing, inspirational views on HAVEN Shop’s blog.

WTAPS x Timex - Military Watch

For their new collection for Fall / Winter 2012,  Japanese label Wtaps joins this season with Timex to achieve this Military Watch . Based on the classic Camper delivered to the U.S. military in the 1980s.

WTAPS 2012 Fall/Winter “YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE” Collection Editorial

Among the various magazine editorials out there representing WTAPS, GRIND‘s are perhaps the best at conveying how a WTAPS photoshoot should be done. This month is no exception, with another solid production that features Japanese actor Jun Murakami. Everyone knows by now that a WTAPS collection means a range of military-inspired garments, and this season doesn’t disappoint. The emphasis is on outerwear, with particular focus given to one of this season’s standout pieces: the ¥210,000 JPY (approximately $2,680 USD) horse leather DAS BOOT jacket, along with the BLACKWATCH Melton wool pea coat, MA-1 and B-9 jackets. Rings, necklaces and another look at the WTAPS x WOLF’s HEAD collaboration belt help complement the looks perfectly. The 2012 fall/winter “YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE” collection from WTAPS is available now at the GIP-STORE, HOODS stores and all other WTAPS stockists worldwide.

WTAPS 2013 Spring/Summer Canvas Beach Bag

A piece of luggage that has finally been rejuvenated for the modern, stylish gentleman continues to get reworked with premium materials and function design. Known for its vast and encompassing seasonal collections, Japanese fashion label WTAPS recently introduced the Canvas Beach Bag. With a cotton body and leather bottom, this nautical-inspired bag features a unique rope carrying handle that will likely stand the test of time from summer to summer. Although listed as a 2013 release, this piece is currently available at Slam Jam for €369 EUR (approximately $462 USD).

WTAPS 'Better Than Yesterday' Spring / Summer 2012 - Endclothing

"Building upon the foundations of Spring/Summer’s first drop, the second instalment of this season’s WTAPS collection brings together a selection of accessible, essential clothing which harnesses the designer’s core values. Founded in 1996, the Harajuku-based label has garnered a cult following for its uncompromising pursuit of functional excellence, basing their whole design ethos on ‘Placing things where they should be’. This considered approach towards garment design and production results in pieces which, as well as sitting perfectly alongside one another, also work in tandem with the wearer. The second drop from Nishiyama fits perfectly with the collection’s name, ‘Better Than Yesterday’, which takes classic pieces from recent history and develops them with modern day materials and production techniques, essentially redesigning the product completely to enable it to fit seamlessly into modern day living. The backbone of the delivery is a range of simple, premium cotton tees, the standout of which being the baseball-inspired ‘Ian’ Tee, with its authentic screen printed branding and three-quarter length sleeves – available in Navy or Red. This range of tees works fantastically well with both shirts; such as the cotton twill Union Shirt which comes in a Red or Green Plaid Twill; and the military-influenced Buds Shirt, which boldly uses authentic military touches such as ID Tags to add a touch of character to the overshirt.

Similarly, the sweats in the collection work tremendously well alongside the rest of the range, with the vivid colour of the Hellweek Hoody and the military gym-influenced Offset Hoody both utilising premium cotton with unwavering attention to styling and detail. This uncompromising attention to detail is exhibited perfectly in the range of accessories with bookend the collection, the standout piece being the luxurious Tanker Tote Bag, constructed from Military spec cotton canvas and a premium pebble grain leather the bag takes great influeces from vintage Hermès design. Offering an incredible level of durability and utility, as well as a truly timeless look, this is a bag that will serve you faithfully for many years, if not a lifetime, whether used for short trips or your everyday carry"