FASHION /
WOMEN
June 23, 2015
MAINTENANT's Debut Collection from Jay Sabetino
MAINTENANT | MAINTENANT
A New Brand from New York for Peers
MAINTENANT, Launched by Jay Sabetino
Designer Jay Sabetino visited Japan to promote his new brand. He initially launched a brand under his own name in 2005, paused it after the Spring/Summer 2015 season, and then started "MAINTENANT" from the Autumn/Winter 2015-16 season. We asked him about the concept behind his new brand.
Text by KAJII Makoto (OPENERS)
It's Becoming Difficult to Find "Real Clothes"
Designer Jay Sabetino, originally from New York, studied art history and fashion design. A lifelong collector of vintage items and fashion books, he began his career as a vintage buyer. His journey as a designer started in 2000 when he created his own T-shirt, which was sold at Barneys. This led to the founding of his own brand in 2005.
When asked why he paused "Jay Sabetino," he explained, "Over the ten years since my debut, the city has changed, and the skaters, graphic artists, musicians, and creators who used to favor Jay Sabetino have also aged. With the emergence of many new brands, it's become difficult for them to find what they consider 'real clothes' today."
Clothes Completed by the Wearer's Individuality
He continued, "Actually, I lived in Tokyo for eight years until about three years ago. When I returned to New York, so much had changed that it was a shock. But it's also true that being back gave me the inspiration for a new brand like MAINTENANT."
The name "MAINTENANT" comes from the magazine of the same name, published by the poet, boxer, artist, and avant-garde Dadaist Arthur Cravan.
Figures like Arthur Cravan, Quentin Crisp, Serge Gainsbourg, Tom Waits, and Robert Crumb, who were not swayed by fleeting trends, possessed strong personal identities. For Jay, they are heroes and mentors.
MAINTENANT draws inspiration from classic and vintage clothing, updating the rounded, modern silhouettes of the 1980s for today. The brand proposes a style that mixes this with a streetwear sensibility. "MAINTENANT is only complete when combined with the individuality of the person wearing it," he says.
Hoping to Appeal to His Talented Friends
Jay shared, "There are three things I value with MAINTENANT: making decisions with a clear point of view; ensuring a sense of unity in proportion and silhouette when looking at the overall outfit; and creating clothes that my friends want to wear. In fact, we made samples, and two pieces that my friends said they wouldn't wear were rejected because they didn't fit the collection's mood."
When asked if his designs are conceived as part of an outfit or as individual pieces, he replied, "I sketch the entire look, but I don't expect people to buy and wear the whole outfit. I want them to buy the items they like and combine them with clothes they already own. That's the most natural way to do it."
Regarding his impression of Japanese street fashion, he commented, "I saw someone earlier wearing a pink suit with white shoes. Compared to America or Europe, Japanese people enjoy wearing clothes in a more editorial, experimental, and challenging way. And because Japanese people study fashion, they understand the concepts. They are like close friends. With MAINTENANT, I believe we can show a new New York style that reflects the current mood, something never seen before."
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