A collaboration between MASTERMIND WORLD and PHENOMENON has been realized in a wooden BE@RBRICK made by KARIMOKU. Masaaki Homma (Designer, MASTERMIND WORLD) shares his thoughts on its background and memories of the late Takeshi Osumi.

Even before the term "luxury street" became widely known, Japanese fashion brands <MASTERMIND WORLD> and <PHENOMENON> have consistently conveyed this concept to the world. Both brands, known for expressing street style with high-end materials, now present their latest collaboration: a KARIMOKU wooden BE@RBRICK 400% finished by skilled artisans, one piece at a time.

The body is constructed using multiple types of wood, precisely layered and angled at "ASLOPE 60°." In addition to both brand names, MASTERMIND WORLD's signature skull and crossbones are featured on the front, with PHENOMENON's "P" on the back.

Takeshi Osumi, the designer of PHENOMENON, made his major debut in 1996 as an MC for the hip-hop unit SHAKKAZOMBIE with the single "Te no Hira wo Taiyou ni." As a fashion designer, he launched <SWAGGER> in 1999 and PHENOMENON in 2004, participating in Tokyo Collection from 2010. Even after his passing from sepsis at the age of 47 on January 24, 2021, his legacy continues to be widely honored in both the music and fashion worlds.

We spoke with Masaaki Homma, designer of MASTERMIND WORLD, about this collaboration and his memories of Mr. Osumi.

—In 2012, MASTERMIND WORLD and PHENOMENON released their first capsule collection. The collaboration between you, with roots in rock, and Mr. Osumi, with roots in hip-hop, garnered significant attention. What led to this collaboration?

HommaI believe it was the "VERSUS TOKYO" event in 2011. At that time, PHENOMENON, led by Mr. Osumi, also participated when I presented a runway collection in Tokyo for the first time in six years. After meeting there, the collaboration naturally came about.

—Were there any particular items that left an impression?

HommaI recall the MA-1 jacket with multiple cigarette pockets on the back being a remix-style garment that was very characteristic of Mr. Osumi. We recreated it for the 2022 collaboration as well.

—Could you share your impressions of the brand PHENOMENON and its designer, Takeshi Osumi?

HommaI believe he was one of the pioneers who established the "luxury street" genre, which resonated internationally. His style, based on HIP-HOP, shared common factors with later international trends. I also felt his natural inclination towards collaboration, stemming from a HIP-HOP-inspired sense of remixing. He was perhaps one of the first to adopt such a unique approach, even before collaborations became as widespread as they are today.

—Last year, your collaborative collection was released for the first time in 10 years. It featured items that fused PHENOMENON's iconic blue tiger camo graphic, updated in black, with MASTERMIND WORLD's signature skull graphic, including triple-name items with Maison MIHARA YASUHIRO and NEW ERA.

HommaThe 2022 collaboration pieces were about refining Mr. Osumi's designs so they would appear fresh in the contemporary fashion scene, rather than letting them fade.

For the multi-spindle hoodie, the original 2008 design was so memorable that we deliberately included the year on the cuffs as a sign of respect. The contrasting design on the cuffs of the crewneck sweater is also based on his archives. The MA-1, of course, is as well.

The collaborations with Maison MIHARA YASUHIRO and NEW ERA came about because they had previously collaborated with PHENOMENON and also because they are brands I have a relationship with.

—For the "BE@RBRICK KARIMOKU MASTERMIND WORLD × PHENOMENON 400%" being released now, a four-party collaboration has been realized with KARIMOKU, a long-established Japanese furniture maker renowned for its woodworking, and MEDICOM TOY, the distributor of BE@RBRICK. What are your thoughts on the finished BE@RBRICK?

HommaThe concept for BE@RBRICK was something we had planned since the creation of the 2022 collaboration collection, as MEDICOM TOY is a brand I'm closely acquainted with, and also one that Mr. Osumi had a relationship with during his lifetime.

Among the many collaborations between MASTERMIND and BE@RBRICK that we've undertaken, items using KARIMOKU's materials have always boasted exceptional quality. Therefore, we aimed to express MASTERMIND's characteristic quality in this four-name initiative. From a technical standpoint, the artisans provided immense support, and the result is a product of superb quality.

—If the opportunity arises, we look forward to future collaborations with PHENOMENON.

HommaFor now, I would be happy if the fans receive the BE@RBRICK we've created.

BE@RBRICK KARIMOKU MASTERMIND WORLD × PHENOMENON 400%
Size | Approx. 280mm (height)
Price | ¥366,000 (incl. tax)
Release Date | Scheduled for December 2023 at 2G and authorized PHENOMENON retailers, MASTERMIND TOKYO, and mastermind pv store
*Limited quantity. Please forgive us if sold out.
BE@RBRICK TM & ©︎ 2001-2023 MEDICOM TOY CORPORATION. All rights reserved.