Horiyoshi the Third

For most readers, the mention of tattoo inspired clothing will do little to inspire. In fact, many might think it cringe worthy.

Over the last decade two American master’s have had their work translated to less permanent moving canvases. The work of Sailor Jerry Collins, discussed on these pages before, provides the graphic base for a virtual empire – spanning drink, bath, house, and even jewelry. Not surprisingly, given his stature, a disciple and ultimately a revered leader in the tattoo community, Don Ed Hardy, too has had a line pulled from his aesthetic.

The nature of the two brands – Sailor Jerry and Ed Hardy – is quite different. But, they are the most successful “tattoo” inspired outfits, and as such the obvious comparison points for any line that crosses into the sphere.

They are, of course, not the first or last to profit from good drawings and a recognizable name. In the 1970s Lyle Tuttle, famous for tattooing Janis Joplin and appearing in Life introduced the “Lyle Tuttle Body Shirt.” Unlike the brands we know today, this shirt did not appropriate Tuttle’s art. Instead, it literally made available the tattoos on his person, making any wearer an exacting replica of Tuttle’s torso.

Many tattooists have provided graphics for t-shirts (I mentioned Mahoney earlier this week), sneakers, and even wine bottle labels. The three above happen to be very big names in the industry and all contributed greatly to the development of the art (just an example, Tuttle played an instrumental role in establishing health regulations for tattoo shops).

This is all both a long winded introduction and an incredibly rudimentary start to a discussion of tattoo clothing. My intent here is really to just make mention of a new line of tattoo inspired clothing from Japan – Horiyoshi The Third Clothing & Accessories.

A connection to Hardy ties Horiyoshi the Third closely to the three main figures of tattoo garment history. Like Hardy, Horiyoshi is a tattooist with enormous reverence for tradition and history. He tattoos by hand, creating lavish body suits bold in color and remarkably consistent in line and shading. For some, he is the last great master of full body Japanese tattoo.

I can never lay claim to be an expert in Japanese tattooing. I focus on the United States, and keep to an rather defined time period. But, I recognize the influence of Japanese tattooing on the West. This began quite early, both American and English practitioners being particularly fascinated by the construction of Japanese needles (Louis Morgan spends some time on the subject in his The Modern Tattooist of 1912). Collins was fascinated by Japanese color, and corresponded with his contemporaries to learn more. Hardy followed suit, learning first from Collins and later traveling to Japan to meet with the master’s.

Horiyoshi the Third met Hardy in 1986. He was on his first visit to the States and spent some time at Hardy’s Realistic Studio in San Francisco. Of the Japanese artist Hardy writes, “As an inheritor of a great tattoo family lineage, he possessed a style that exuded great power coupled with a willingness to integrate newer artistic aspects” (taken from Juan Puente, Legacy: The Horiyoshi III Tradition, 2006).

That inherited style rooted in traditional story telling leads to tattoos heavy on narrative. Translating this to garments has some difficulty. American tattooing is about singular images. These two are full of narrative meaning (just think about the Rock of Ages), but are more easily scaled.

Horiyoshi the Third, simply put, is one of the most influential living tattooists. His work reverberates around the globe and has been exhibited throughout Europe and the United States.

Horiyoshi the Third, as a clothing line, takes elements of the body suit. Elements deep with spirituality, strenght, beauty, and the like. And, most importantly, rich with graphic integrity. Like the tattoos that inspire the garments, the pieces are bold. They are not for everyone.

All of the garments are produced in Japan, either of loop wheeled cotton or merino wool.

With that a few examples of the sweaters in the fall collection. (Three pieces, each shown front and back).