The British house and the Japanese Football Association marks their 21 years of partnership with a collection that celebrates solidarity.
Using the hashtag #心をひとつ—or “united we stand”—dunhill pays tribute to the spirit of community upheld by the house and the worlds of sport and football through its 2020 Samurai Blue collection. Marking 21 years of the partnership between the British house and the Japanese Football Association, the collection comprises contemporary tailoring and accessories. It shows a graphic stripe in JFA blue, uniting the brand’s British codes and the color synonymous with the Japanese Football Association.
Recently, for the first time this year, the collection is revealed in a striking illustration by artist Andrew Archer. Inspired by the team photo of previous years, Archer showcased the Japanese football team and their manager in the JFA collection within a classical scene of cherry blossoms and Mount Fuji in the background. Moreover, integrated within the illustration are symbols including the official hashtag and a three-legged crow, representing divine intervention and guidance.
Aside to that, there are two additional illustrations with the same crow in a similar setting, as well as three samurais wearing a combination of the Samurai Blue collection and traditional Japanese armor—a visual representation of the concept of “shobufuku” or “dress to win.”
The collection also focuses on a signature Belgravia-cut, two-piece suit in navy, which is the official color of the Japanese football team. This off-pitch wardrobe also features a white shirt alongside complementary accessories including a navy tie, pocket square, tie bar and reversible belt, all of which are personalized with the JFA logo.
Above all, through Archer’s characteristic use of hallucinogenic colosr, rhythmic linse and Asian influence, these illustrations evokes dunhill’s familiar collision of tradition and subversion.
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