Wouldn't it be nice to have a stylish T-shirt that you can wear on its own?
But choosing a T-shirt can be surprisingly difficult.
- High-end brands are expensive...
- I don't know the value of used clothes...
- If I use a ready-made product, I'll end up wearing the same thing as someone else...
- I'm worried because I can't see the item when I order online...
I was lost like that,
"First of all, I don't know what kind of T-shirts are cool or cute."
Do you have such concerns?
At Izon, we have collaborated on several occasions to create curry themed on art pieces such as performing arts and paintings.
(KYOTO EXPERIMENT, Kyoto City University of Arts Gallery @KCUA, etc.)
We asked the artists we met there to design T-shirts. We offer special designer T-shirts that can only be made by izon.
Other items in the lineup include boat-neck T-shirts made from deadstock military items with logos.
After reading this article, you will no longer have to worry about choosing a T-shirt.
If you are looking for a stylish and original T-shirt, this is a must-see.
Izon T-shirt designed by Aiko Koike
Aiko Koike is an artist who serves as the art director of KYOTO EXPERIMENT .
This happened around spring 2021, before izon was founded, but Yoshifuji had an acquaintance at the KYOTO EXPERIMENT secretariat, and we decided to take some photos at Yoshifuji's home using a string telephone motif to be used on the KYOTO EXPERIMENT website and brochures. That was how I got to know Koike.
At that time, I had no plans to open a curry restaurant, and I certainly never thought I would collaborate with KYOTO EXPERIMENT. However, in the fall of 2022, shortly after the opening of the izon physical store, I decided to create a curry based on the theme of performing arts by writers Jarnand Pantachart and Azadeh Shamiry, who were participating in KYOTO EXPERIMENT.
So when the store was about to celebrate its first anniversary, the idea of making an izon T-shirt came up and I was struggling with the design. I thought about doing it myself, but I thought that I would only be able to produce something that an amateur could do, so I decided to get a professional to design it. At that time, the first person who came to mind was Mr. Koike.
I thought it was inevitable that he would turn me down because he is a person who is active at the forefront of his field, but I made him an offer anyway, and he accepted without hesitation. Tears.
They requested a design with a "world" theme, which is related to the "World Tour Curry" served at the restaurant.
I didn't specify a specific size of the design or the material of the T-shirt, but rather just made a rather vague request: "I would like it to be in the world that you imagine, Mr. Koike." This is the answer I received.
The store's name "izon" comes from the Japanese word "dependence," and the overall design was created by collecting "dependence" in various fonts from languages around the world, including fictional languages.
The vibrant colours are eye-catching and make for a beautiful finish.
It's amazing how a collection of letters come together to form a single design, and looking at each one individually makes you realize just how many different countries there are in the world.
Available in M/L/XL sizes, with body colors mainly black and white.
If you're interested, check out this page .
Izon T-shirt designed by Satoshi Kawada
Satoshi Kawada is an artist who mainly works on creating frescoes.
An exhibition will be held at the Kyocera Museum of Art from July 16th to October 6th, 2024. Kawada's frescoes are beautiful in photos, but they are even more impressive when you see them in person. If you are interested, please come and see them.
I met Kawada when we collaborated on curry for "Reflective Gaze," which was held at the Kyoto City University of Arts Gallery @KCUA from September 17th to November 6th, 2022.
Here is the curry from that time.
We asked Kawada about his favourite foods and used them as ingredients for the curry and side dishes, while also using clam paste to represent the rough texture of the plaster used in the frescoes, and incorporating cuisine from countries where Kawada has previously stayed and created art into the curry to create the one-plate meal.
Because this was an unprecedented attempt, I was nervous about what would happen if I angered him, but after he tasted the finished curry, he said with a refreshing smile, "It was delicious," which put me at ease.
As time passed, we decided to make an izon T-shirt, and Kawada's face came to mind. Kawada is an artist who works on a large scale, not only in art museums and galleries, but also in corporate offices, boat racing stadiums, and public baths, so
"I'm worried that the T-shirt design might be a nuisance..."
I was a little hesitant to ask them to do this, but I took a chance and asked for a design with a "world" theme, which they gladly accepted. Here is the finished T-shirt.
Did you know that countries around the world have national emblems in addition to their flags?
This is the national emblem of the United States.
National emblems tend to have more complex designs than national flags and contain a variety of information.
Kawada-san's design was based on the national emblems of various countries.
The background features a cool-looking sea and a red sky.
Perhaps it represents the various countries that Izon has traveled to so far, as well as the seas and skies that it has crossed. It's a very elegant design.
Available in sizes M/L/XL and color white only.
Why not add a piece of clothing that brings the essence of contemporary art to your wardrobe?
To purchase, please visit this page .
Deadstock Italian military boat neck izon T-shirt
Yoshifuji, the owner of the spicy restaurant Izon, previously worked for a military apparel wholesaler and later ran a second-hand clothing store.
I have a lot of knowledge about vintage clothing, especially military clothing.
With the aim of creating a uniform for izon this time, I searched through various military deadstock items and found this Italian Navy boat neck T-shirt.
The fabric is simply amazing. It's smooth, feels good to the touch, and is a super heavyweight T-shirt that feels heavy when you wear it.
The neckline is an elegant boat neck, and the stitching from the neck to the shoulders is unique and cool.
Another piece of fabric is sewn on from the inside along the shoulder line, making it extremely sturdy.
The izon logo is silkscreen printed on the left chest.
The size is L (equivalent to Japanese size XL) and the T-shirt is quite long.
This is a proud item that we would like any woman looking for a big-sized, heavyweight T-shirt to try.
Please check this page for detailed sizes.
summary
What did you think?
We introduced two stylish designer T-shirts with stories and one deadstock T-shirt from the Italian Navy.
I would be happy if you would try on this T-shirt, which is filled with my thoughts.
In addition to T-shirts, the izon store also carries a wide range of original products such as work coats , sailor hats , andsocks .
The products we carry can also be purchased at our izon spice restaurant, so you can take them home after enjoying your curry.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact us using the contact form or send us a DM on Instagram.
