Wong Kar Wai x Naoki Takizawa Design 王家衛 x 滝沢直己 | White Tank Top - Silver Single-Set Collection 白背心 — 銀箔拓印版

Collection of Jet Tone Archive

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澤東庫藏

"When thinking of my films, it is easy to associate them with the qipao. However, an equally significant piece of clothing is the white tank top worn by Chow Mo-Wan in IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE. Besides Tony Leung as Chow, others who have worn the white tank top in my films include Andy Lau in AS TEARS GO BY, Leslie Cheung in DAYS OF BEING WILD, Tony Leung once more in CHUNGKING EXPRESS, Leon Lai in FALLEN ANGELS, Ho Po-Wing and Lai Yiu-Fai in HAPPY TOGETHER, Takuya Kimura in 2046, Chang Chen in EROS and Jude Law in MY BLUEBERRY NIGHTS. 

In the past, a man’s tank top was his undershirt, a layer revealed only under the most intimate of circumstances. However, in 1951, Marlon Brando’s iconic performance in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE elevated the white tank top from safeguard to weapon, instantly transforming it into the most sensual piece of menswear. Since then, the tank top has become a choice of fashion, not only for men, but also for women.

To mark the 30th anniversary of Jet Tone Films, I wanted to recreate the white tank top as a tribute to my lead actors and their embodiment of dignity and sensuality. To have fulfilled this wish today, I am indebted to the vision of legendary fashion designer Naoki Takizawa. Mr. Takizawa began his career at ISSEY MIYAKE, where he was in charge of producing the iconic black turtleneck worn by Steve Jobs. When I invited him to collaborate on this project, he took some time to consider the proposition. He believed that in order to recreate the classic tank top, the most important elements would be the fabrics we could source and the tailoring techniques of the craftsmen. He decided to investigate whether the suitable fabrics existed to justify the project. Six months later, he proposed two collections, each with their own significance:

The Silver collection contains a single tank top, symbolizing the blossoming of a man in the prime of his life. Using a traditional printing technique originating from artisanal kimono construction, the floral pattern of Su Li-Zhen’s qipao is printed onto silver foil, which is then attached to the side of the tank top. Only after this silver foil is peeled off will the pattern underneath be revealed. The intention behind this design is to ensure that each tank top is unique; as each person’s touch creates a distinct effect on the floral pattern, no two pieces will end up alike.

The Gold collection comes as a pair of tank tops, both with the floral pattern printed on gold leaf using the same traditional technique. However, while one tank top remains unblemished, the other has undergone an additional blurring procedure. This arduous process, passed down through generations of Japanese craftsmen, illustrates the marks left by the passage of time. When viewed side-by-side, the first tank top represents the beginning, and the second represents the future. Together, this pair of designs commemorates the 30 years that have passed by in a flash."

— Wong Kar Wai

「我的電影容易讓人聯想到旗袍。同樣具代表性是周慕雲身上的白背心。除了周慕雲穿過，《旺角卡門》裡的劉德華、《阿飛正傳》的張國榮、《重慶森林》裡的梁朝偉、《墮落天使》的黎明、《春光乍洩》裡的何寶榮與黎耀輝、《2046》裡的木村拓哉、《愛神》的張震，以至《藍莓之夜》的祖迪羅都穿過。

在過去，背心是內衣，算是男人體面的最後的一道防線。只有到熟不拘禮時，男人才會露出內衣。到了1951年，馬龍白蘭度主演的《慾望號街車》面世，在他的經典演繹下，白背心一下子從防線變成武器，從此成為最性感的男性衣著。風流所及，甚至連女孩子偶爾也會穿著它走在街上。

值澤東30週年，我希望用一件白背心來向所有在我電影裡穿過它的男主角們致意，感謝他們把體面與性感演繹得如此到位。這個願望得以實現，要感謝滝沢直己的設計。潼沢先生是傳奇的服裝設計師。曾服務於三宅一生事務所，喬布斯最經典的黑T恤造型就是出自他手。當我向他提出邀請，他認真地思考了良久，認為複刻一件經典的背心，最重要的是物料和剪裁。他必須先考察一下能否找到合適的布料才能決定能否接受這份委託。半年之後，他提出了他的想法。兩個版本，兩層涵義：

銀版代表男人的花樣年華；一式一件，把《花樣年華》裡蘇麗珍旗袍上的花紋圖案，通過傳統和服製造的貼箔技術，首先拓在銀箔上，再從銀箔復刻到白背心上。過程中必須要撕開復蓋在白背心上的銀箔，才會露出圖案。這個設計方案的目的，是希望每一件的背心，都會是獨一無二；因為每一個人的手感都不一樣，撕出來的效果也會用人而異。

金版是一式兩件：用同樣的貼箔技術復刻圖案，金版的圖案會拓在金箔上。其中一件除了貼箔之外，會再通過傳統熏染技師，用手工把寓意時間流逝的效果熏染在背心上。一新一舊並列，設計師希望表達的是：30年，一晃而過。」

— 王家衛

Artist profile

Naoki Takizawa 滝沢直己

Naoki Takizawa is a leading Japanese fashion designer. He started his career at ISSEY MIYAKE, famed brand of the renowned Japanese fashion designer known for his technology-driven designs. Takizawa rose to Creative Director from 1993 to 2006. Notably, he was responsible for producing Steve Jobs' iconic black turtleneck. Currently, he is known as Design Director for Special Projects at UNIQLO.

Takizawa established his own studio, NAOKI TAKIZAWA DESIGN INC, in 2006. In 2010, he became Creative Director of HELMUT LANG MENS LINE, before joining UNIQLO as Design Director in 2011. In 2018, he relaunched “NAOKI TAKIZAWA”, a womens’ collection, and introduced them at his own design studio at Daikanyama, Tokyo.  

He has also been in charge of designing costumes for Her Majesty the Empress Emerita Michiko since 2010. He has designed uniforms for various companies and institutions, such as the crew uniform for national transportation and staff uniforms for museums and restaurants. Naoki Takizawa’s celebrated tailoring innovations are driven by a deep belief in everyday serviceability and wearability. He is also known for collaborating with artists such as Daido Moriyama, Yoshitomo Nara and Takashi Murakami.

In 1999, Takizawa received The New York Dance and Performance Award for the costume design of William Forsythe’s Frankfurt Ballet. He also designed the interior curtains at the Musée du quai Branly, for which he received the French honour of “Chevalier des arts et des lettres” in 2007.

(courtesy of Naoki Takizawa Design Inc.)