ssstein
Japanese brand established in 2016 by designer Kiichiro Asakawa. The brand's philosophy centers on harmonizing contrasting elements, encapsulated in its concept: "stillness and motion, minimal and maximal, mode and tradition." Collections feature a range of garments, including tailored jackets, knitwear, shirts, and trousers.
27 Replies
:letsfuckinggo: the goat
My only physical interaction with the brand has been some wide pants that I unfortunately had to send back after ssense tricked me on the sizing. Very sad I don't think this brand will ever fit me on bottoms. But I did place an order recently for some knitwear and shirts I hope to post some feedback when they arrive. Maybe a jacket can work for me in future 🙏
they have some wonderful pieces and are great 2ndhand buys
I do struggle to pinpoint what exactly their unique perspective is though. what they are saying that others haven't also said. I have only had sort of cursory experience with the brand and a few items I've interacted with in person
what am I missing in your opinion?
part of it is definitely, thing, japan but its also just a brand with clean, relaxed cuts that are well executed
which is popular right now (lemaire, studio nicholson, rainmaker kyoto, etc)
fair
i can absolutely see the appeal of the pieces they make. there are a lot i would love to own
i think rainmaker and lemaire have super clear brand id's with unique perspectives in comparison
studio nicholson is like elevated cos to me even though they've made things i like over the years. it doesn't feel particularly inspired
at least ssstein is actually japanese though unlike studio nicholson who is mostly a western brand inspired by japan and minimalism
def not hating at all bc again i like the brand just trying to see what other folks like about them that i may be overlooking
oh my bad, that's what I was getting at, I think it's in the vein of Studio Nicholson because the pieces mix and match well into other styles but it doesn't have a very strong individual ID. I find them a hodge podge of other styles/brands
I don't see much japanese influence in studio nicholson
no wasn't disagreeing just was expanding on my thoughts above 👍
Yeah I see more of a confluence in the cuts and styling vs direct influence
for me its more like other strong designers you might loosely call "minimalists" are taking inspiration from diverse sources and distilling them down into simple, modular wardrobes
studio nicholson seems to be more influenced by contemporary styling wakeman sees in places like japan (not so much traditional japanese attire), which just comes out like a cocktail of other ideas from her contemporaries rather than something unique, to me. sometimes I think she nails it and has made some nice pieces but it just is lacking some heart and inspiration in my eyes
I guess you're right: https://www.mrporter.com/en-us/journal/fashion/interview-studio-nicholson-designer-nick-wakeman-1767166
“I’ve Got A Massive Crush On Old Japanese Men”: The Story And Style...
Ms Nick Wakeman, the colour-averse designer behind Studio Nicholson, has struck sartorial gold by creating a modular wardrobe out of clothes that don’t date. ...
Sorry my statement above is poorly worded
Let me adjust
ah my brain is fried
not trying to hate again I like some of her stuff, but it's just not on the same level to me as a lemaire
also don't want to hog the ssstein thread , sorry for hijacking
I don't care for anything Studio Nicholson makes besides a pair of boots I have from them that are really just a better version of the exact same boot made by another brand
I've seen some knitwear posted in here that I like but it's not very unique
it is a good brand to get some pieces from still imo but yeah i agree
tbh while I enjoy all the brands mentioned, I think ssstein engages in more asymmetry and "structural" experimentation than the other brands listed. I'd say they are a lot more avante than lemaire, rainmaker, or nicholson
I think their brand ID is extremely dialed in
sure I could see asymmetry and structural exploration
wasnt a challenge btw was just a genuine question bc i assume ssstein fans are the best to ask what they like about the brand, so thanks for sharing
studio nicholson is not that interesting to me, lemaire is almost neo-classical at times , rainmaker is maybe more of a toss up but fair enough
All good
I think one thing i find extremely neat about ssstein is that they really are a interesting exploration of shape, I think some of the other brands here had more going on with patterns and textures and color, ssstein tends to be very very minimal in colors and the textures are of most of the fabrics are quite flat, leaving the shapes silhouetteof their garments to really stand out
Oversized Docking Double Breasted Coat
Inside layer seems sleeveless and bottom hem is stitched between the 2 layers
Extra drape, extra warmth
If I were a lil taller this would be perfect, but I think even the small would almost touch the floor on me
I agree that ssstein seems maybe more experimental with their cuts and construction compared to Lemaire etc
But in the same ballpark for sure
Love this but wish the hem wasn't just folded over like that
The double layer is really cool, I think I'd like it more if the inner layer's hem was detached from the outer layer's and a bit shorter
feels like a big lint and crumb catcher too
but ya jacket idea is cool in general
I think you could unsnap it if you wanted to
would be pretty long though
Oh I didn't notice
too long for sure lmao that guy is super tall already
would be cool if the outer buttoned back to itself. But to me personally I don’t mind it either way
the aerodynamics are so interesting haha