Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2007
STYLEWISE
Bathing Ape, rocking chairs and LeSportsac bags
By MARTIN WEBB
La Fa-fille
Billing itself as "the leading American brand of casual nylon bags," LeSportsac has been attempting to build a more fashion-conscious image by hiring a series of commercial artists to create prints for its products. However collaborations with the likes of American illustrator Amy Davis and Simone Legno, the man behind the kawaii-character-inspired Tokidoki project, have failed to hit the mark (from this style snob's point of view, at least). That is about to change, though.
Next month the company will launch a series of bags with an artist who can lay claim to impeccable fashion world kudos. Fafi began her career as a graffiti artist in her home city of Toulouse, in southern France, and since gaining a huge following in the street-culture fraternity for her depictions of sultry, nymph-like "Fafinettes," some of which have been turned into collectible vinyl figures, she has gone on to establish herself as something of a lowbrow art scene starlet.
The distinguishing feature of the Fafinettes is that they are attired in cute but sassy pink-punk outfits, often featuring stripy over-the-knee socks. Besides the allure of their beautifully stylized faces, the characters' distinctive dress sense has endeared them to the fashion community. In a testament to the breadth of Fafi's appeal, Paris superboutique Colette, recently staged a large-scale exhibition of her paintings, illustrations and assorted product designs. It may have taken a while to get on the right track, but this project has the potential to win LeSportsac a following among even the most discerning fashionistas.
LeSportsac, 6-3-9 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku; Tel: (03) 3407-4343.
www.lesportsac.com, www.lesportsac.co.jp