When Jun Takahashi presented “Speed (Last Show)” in the spring of 1995, as the nickname describes, S/S ’95 was thought to be his final runway collection. Looking back, it was really just the beginning; but from Takahashi's perspective it's easy to see how he felt it was the end of the road. With punk music stagnating spiritually– at least in Takahashi’s mind– the young designer became disillusioned with his formative subculture. Though his earlier work utilized more conventional punk imagery, Takahashi explored new aesthetic territory in the '90s, as Takahashi established himself in a world where punk music had lost its invigoration.
Plastered throughout this magazine, the graphics and works from the early years of Undercover illustrate this transformation. Among the graphics are Undercover's garment labels, various show posters, and Takahashi's own personal spaces. In this interview, he is self reflective, almost austere, demonstrating a newfound worldliness that has developed and transformed him into a master of his medium.
