There’s been an endless amount of reporting on style subcultures dominating the online fashion discourse. These subcultures, such as “Cottagecore,” “Barbiecore,” and “Clowncore,” all have their roots in some form of cosplay. Costumes decontextualize the codes of sartorial dress, which in turn removes authenticity. People who gravitate towards these trends will choose to purchase “the true thing” rather than fashion reimaginings. And this is what makes Daiki Suzuki and his Engineered Garments a worthwhile proposal: It’s FashionYes, it is suitable for outdoor use, but you can also wear it outdoors.
Suzuki’s outdoor magazines are his source material. Outdoor LifeYou can also find sister titles such as Field & Stream and Sports Afield. Suzuki was a child in the woods, spending his youth outdoors. This fall, he is pondering on his feelings and revisiting his magazines collection which are what inspired Engineered Garments.
A variety of styles are available: blazers in relaxed and casual colors, hooded pullovers with a hood, sleeveless blazers or jackets that have multiple pockets, backpack-strapped parksas and multi-pocket vests. They come in faux suedes as well as plaid suitsings, thick wools, nylon ripstops, canvas, and heavy wools. The more utilitarian styles in this lineup speak well to Suzuki’s inspiration, but it’s the addition of relaxed and approachable tailoring that round up the collection. There were many unexpected variations on the utility angle in this lineup, including multi-pocket carabiners in thick corduroy and ankle-length nylon shirt dresses. Engineered Garments’ best work is in the liminal zone between outdoorwear that is true to form and everyday wear.
While the past seasons saw Suzuki heavily incorporate a wide range of prints into his collection, the fall season saw Suzuki exercise restraint and reduce the number of plaids and checks to just a few, along with a wooden texture and two floral or leafy graphics. This allows the collection to remain grounded in texture and fabrication and lets the distinctive layering that is Suzuki’s hallmark take center stage once more.
Suzuki’s outdoor-inspired clothing was complemented by ties, beanies and varsity jackets. He also had a few tote bags. The Engineered Garments person is likely not going fishing in these multi-pocket vests or fisherman pants, but is partaking in the high-impact outdoor sport that is commuting to work, and they’ll look good doing it too.