Outside of the more graphic oriented COMME des GARÇONS PLAY, the Japanese label has a huge range of grown up pieces that focus a bit more on the art of constructing fine garments in the form of the COMME des GARÇONS MAN range. In that vein, Junya Watanabe has been a proponent of the patchwork look for a minute now, approaching everything from denim to button-ups with the extended cut and sew styling. The latest piece to get the treatment is this crewneck sweater, coming in a simple heather grey that boasts a warm fuzzy lining on the inside. As always, the Japanese made piece from COMME des GARÇONS MAN opts for the finest of materials. Stick with us after the jump for the full look at the Junya Watanabe COMME des GARÇONS MAN patchwork crew sweat, which can be had now at NORSE STORE online.

A concerted effort by Giampiero Vagliano and Stefano Rovolett brought a long forgotten Italian-Franco outerwear label back from the brink a few years ago. That label was Moncler. Looking to repeat their success once again, the duo ventured out with a new label back in 2004, aptly called DUVETICA. In his going effort to highlight the best of the best in men’s wear, designer Junya Watanabe selected DUVETICA as the purveyor of outerwear for his COMME des GARÇONS MAN collection. Available in either Gilet (or hooded vest) or Jacket forms, the outerwear line entails a breathable cotton outer shell, plaid lining, and a premium goose down insulation. In addition, a plaid paneling on the rear helps to accentuate the design further. Standard accents such as elastic cuffs, hem, and heavy duty zipper by Waldes, both editions are now for sale at End Clothing of England and COMME des GARÇONS retail locations around the world, including the one in New York.

COMME des GARÇONS New York
520 West 22nd Street | Map
New York, NY 10011

End Clothing‎
4-6 High Bridge | Map
Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 1EN England
TEL #: +0191-261-9327

When two brands are working harmoniously, it makes sense to keep the relationship going and push the boundaries. Junya Watanabe COMME des GARÇONS MAN and Tricker’s are working together again for a range of new footwear. Rather than opting for conventional shoes or boots from Tricker’s, Watanabe selected the slim silhouette sneakers. Brogue details provide a subtle accent on the smooth suede uppers and apart from the gray version pictured, there are also light brown and brown versions produced as well. White shoe laces mirror the hand stitched white soles and gold double brand foil print stands out against the maroon inner lining. via: by Intention 

Over the next few weeks a small stretch of La Brea Avenue in L.A. will be descended upon by the well-heeled disciples of Junya Watanabe. Their destination: Union, where the first arrival of the COMME des GARCONS MAN Fall 2011 collection have just hit store shelves. The guys from the shop have assembled different looks from the range, with standouts including a Nordic-print blazer, leather peacoat, gingham wovens, and suede footwear in the form of a brogue or lug-soled deck shoe. Junya once again delivers on all fronts — construction, pattern and fit, with the individual pieces blending extraordinarily well together. For those unable to visit the brick and mortar location you can shop the entire assortment through the Union webstore, but first check out more images after the jump.

UNION LA
110 South La Brea Avenue | Map
Los Angeles, CA 90036
TEL #: 323-549-6950

Junya Watanabe has quickly ascended from in-house designer for the Comme des Garçons MAN collection to one of the marquee names in fashion. His unorthodox designs never cease to challenge convention, and for that reason he is one of the most sought after collaborators in the game. The new Junya Watanabe Comme des Garçons MAN x Levi’s Vintage 1954 Patchwork Jeans see the man cutting up one of Levi’s most beloved styles and sewing own a bit of his own flavor. This pair of 501′s comes with a variety of patches running along the length of the legs, a corduroy waistband, and shifted pockets. Hit the jump for a detailed look at these high-end jeans, which are available now at UK retailer End Clothing.

Releasing early in July is the Autumn/Winter 2011 collection from Junya Watanabe COMME des GARÇONS MAN. The whole collection is inspired by American traditional style and it is reinterpreted in his signature silhouette. Wide range of materials are selected to balance aesthetics with functionality that is required for the colder season. Understated Earth tones unify the line, which consists of jackets, vests, knits, shirts and trousers. As with each season, several collaboration pieces are amongst the collection and they include shoe from Tricker’s, down jackets from Duvetica and knits from John Smedley. Pre-orders are currently available from byIntention in Japan.

Cult designer Junya Watanabe is favoring the border stripe pattern for the COMME des GARÇONS MAN Spring/Summer 2011 season and several pieces in the collection makes use of the patterned fabrics. Levi’s is called in again for a collaboration this season and the staple denim jacket is modified with border prints in white/black, indigo blue/black and navy/black color schemes. Contrary to its rugged impression, these jackets are soft and lightweight, making it a perfect companion for the cool weather transitioning into Spring. Red Levi’s flag tag on the left chest pocket signifies the collaboration and these are currently available at by Intention, as well as other Junya Watanabe COMME des GARÇONS MAN dealers world wide.

We reported last month on the Junya Watanabe COMME des GARÇONS MAN x Tricker’s leather shoes and now two more pairs are being made available. Unlike the previous release, these are less formal and exude the experimental nature of the designer, Junya Watanabe. Hovering somewhere between sneakers and leather shoes, the smooth oiled leather uppers offer a luxurious exterior carefully crafted by Tricker’s. Off white Vibram outsoles ensure durability and comfort and the vivid red leather inner lining completes the premium footwear. Visit your local COMME des GARÇONS stockists or Japanese online store by Intention for purchasing.

A week after news broke of the do-or-die sale of A Bathing Ape, Nigo is still in the news. Industry publication WWD ran the first post-sale interview with Tomoaki Nagao, aka Nigo, and this week also brought a preview of the Spring Summer 2011 lineup from the grown up sub-label Mr. Bathing Ape. And as Nigo says in the WWD interview, he is focusing on other projects, so fittingly this week brought a new drop from the Billionaire Boys Club 2011 collection. Another big name in Asian fashion who has been much in the news lately, Edison Chen, also deserved a bit more coverage this week with the release of two AF1′s he created at 21 Mercer. Hiroki Nakamura has less star power than Nigo or EDC, but is a much-respected designer and textile savant – and his label, Visvim has been turning heads, as usual, with the steady release of Spring/Summer 2011 product. This week Freshness focused on his project with Honeyee, and several of the footwear models Visvim is releasing for the upcoming season. Slightly more high fashion, Junya Watanabe got some attention this week for the release of the COMME des GARÇONS MAN Spring 2011 collection, which included a beautiful brogue, done in partnership with Trickers. There were also a few news items regarding Original Fake this week, as the label released some new products for the coming season. And among the overwhelming number of Spring/Summer collections, one standout from our coverage was from the Errolson Hugh-designed Stone Island Shadow Project, which reflects Hugh’s expertise in meshing the highly technical with the highly fashionable. Nike, of course, deserves a mention for the release of the Eric Koston signature shoe, which seems poised to be a hit. Also in footwear, a cornerstone of streetwear retail in the UK, end clothing, produced a feature on the Flimby factory, the hallowed New Balance production center in Flimby, England, which included a sneaker giveaway. And finally, Freshness is running a giveaway too – two jackets produced by Puma along with artist Kehinde Wiley. Read on after the jump for a recap of the top streetwear stories this week.

Junya Watanabe COMME des GARÇONS MAN have launched another collaboration item from its Spring/Summer 2011 collection. Selected as a base, a basic oxford shirt from Brooks Brothers went through the signature Junya Watanabe modification process to give it a subdue yet distinctive style. From the front, the button down shirt’s appearance is in plain white, yet the view from the rear is playful in navy border and oxford fabric combination. Two darts are integrated on the front, producing a fitting silhouette and red stitching on the right chest pocket makes a focal point. These are currently in stock at online store by Intention and your local COMME des GARÇONS stockist.

February drops from Junya Watanabe COMME des GARÇONS MAN Spring/Summer 2011 collection does not disappoint and the highlight of the new releases is the collaboration shoes with British bespoke shoes brand Tricker’s. Premium suede constructs the uppers and the all white exterior balances well against the red inner lining and soles. Other items include carefully designed pieces such as the Crew Neck Sweat Top, Indigo Border Cut and Sew and Cotton Back Satin Pants. All of the items share the nautical theme with emphasis on blue and white as its key colors. Currently all of these products are available at by Intention and Junya Watanabe COMME des GARÇONS MAN stockists around the globe.

It’s pretty obvious what the overall theme was this week: shows – both runway and buyer’s events. From Pitti Uomo in Florence, to Paris Fashion Week, to Bread and Butter in Berlin, and Agenda and (capsule), in our own New York City, which had artistic direction by Dr. Romenelli, who released an inspired Chuck Taylor. The first Green Hornet collaboration, with the PHANTACi and New Balance collaboration released this week, along with a full Bape women’s line – inspired, but a bit confusing. Plus, MCM splashed onto the blogs with a capsule collection done with Phenomenon, which would do Lady Gaga proud. Other fashion news on the higher-concept end was the Junya Watanabe MAN preview of the Spring/Summer 2011 collection. And the one-time soccer hooligan staple Stone Island proved it’s reinvention doubly over this week with two amazing new jackets, while in other soccer news, Nike announced it’s project for the French Football Federation, with a full Sportswear collection and on-pitch kit for the national team. Nike also released a capsule collection inspired by Steven Alan, who got quite a bit of free rein with the sneakers. It was another big KAWS week too, starting with the release of his Companion as interpreted by Robert Lazzarrini, and ending with the release of his lightbulb project for the Standard Hotel. Also in art news, we had a preview of the Damian Hirst exhibit at the Gagosian in Hong Kong. And finally, while some people might be (and others definitely are) sick of the Destroyer jacket, there was news on that front this week too, most notably the video of Edison Chen creating his own at the Nike Stadium. Get the full edit of anything you might have missed this week after the jump.