Spirit of Mercury

Takao Yamashita

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In ’90s Japanese street-style, few brands compare in omnipresence to Takao Yamashita’s beauty:beast.

Takao Yamashita: Entering The Belly Of The beauty:beast

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A/W 1991 'Venus Bound'

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S/S 1991 'Blue Skies'

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A/W 1992 '2LDK'

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S/S 1992 'Bird Nest'

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A/W 1993 'Bubble Army'

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S/S 1993 'Hunchback'

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A/W 1994 'Hate+War For 94 Part II'

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S/S 1994 'Hate+War For 94 Part I'

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A/W 1995 'Resurrection + Protection '

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S/S 1995 'Emperor's Tailor'

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A/W 1996 'Deep Depth'

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S/S 1996 'Spirit of Mercury'

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A/W 1997 'Beauty And The Beast'

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S/S 1997 'Chaotic Romance'

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A/W 1998 'Dark Knight'

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S/S 1998 'New Rage Savage'

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A/W 1999 'Himawari'

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S/S 1999 'Hyper Drive'

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A/W 2000 'Children Of The Damned'

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2beauty:beast S/S 2000 'Rumble Fish'

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S/S 2000 'The End Is The Beginning In The End'

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S/S 2003 'Angelic'

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A/W 2009 'Faithless'

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S/S 2009 'One - Third'

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A/W 2010 20th Anniversary Collection

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Pioneer Loopmaster by Takao Yamashita

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Toyota Collaboration

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'Toy Saves Children' Charity Doll by Takao Yamashita

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A/W 2025 Collection

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KICKXOTICS Collaboration

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adidas 'Sport Casuals' Line

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nulv

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Maurice Renoma

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  In ’90s Japanese street-style, few brands compare in omnipresence to Takao Yamashita’s beauty:beast. Partially impacted by his strict upbringing, Yamashita-san’s subversive graphics and messaging quickly found popularity among Japanese youth in the ’90s. Like his longtime friend and colleague, Shinichiro Arakawa, Yamashita-san was heavily impacted by time spent internationally; both have shown collections in Paris and spent time working with designers like Christopher Nemeth in London. Today, beauty:beast's legacy has found new life, resonating with young people who have re-discovered the brand through vintage street-style magazines like FRUiTS.

beauty:beast

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View archival material of S/S 1996 'Spirit of Mercury' officially provided by beauty:beast.

beauty:beast: S/S 1996 'Spirit of Mercury', 1996 | Fashion Archives