John Lawrence Sullivan 2010 Autumn/Winter Collection

John Lawrence Sullivan (JLS) is the latest Tokyo based fashion brand to bid farewell to the capital. After N.Hoolywood‘s recent decision to start showing in New York, JLS has also taken the plunge and opted for the glamorous new location of Paris.

Designed by former professional boxer Arashi Yanagawa, JLS, which was established in 2003 and debuted at the Tokyo Collections in 2007, has made a name for itself for sleek silhouettes and superb tailoring. Using high quality materials which create a successful mixture of elegant and masculine clothing, JLS – which has a trendy Nakameguro flagship – has attracted a lot of interest from buyers, fashion journalists and fans both in Japan and abroad.

Yanagawa has even branched out into womenswear – designing a collection for S/S10. He also recently collaborated with ten international artists in a series of t-shirt designs in a project named ‘The Sullivans’. The label, which is named after a late 19th century American boxer who was also known as the Boston Strong Boy, is very much a Tokyo fashion brand which targets hip young professionals who want sophisticated and well structured clothing which differs from its European luxury counterparts.

The collection for A/W 2010, held in a disused Shinkiba warehouse, was accomplished and perhaps one of Yanagawa’s best so far. A strong use of autumnal colors, double-breasted and one-button jackets and trench coats were paired with leather leggings, trousers cut just below the knee and finished off with some great pairs of creeper shoes. Classic and contemporary, elegant and masculine, Japanese and international JLS is a brand which loves to play in paradoxes and is certain to be a surefire hit with the European style crowd from next season.

John Lawrence Sullivan:

• Address: 1F MS Building, 1-19-7 Aobadai, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan
• Phone: 03-5428-0068
• Website: John Lawrence Sullivan Official Website

Text by Paul McInnes. Photos by Will Robb.

About the author:
Paul McInnes is a fashion and arts journalist based in Tokyo. He is the fashion editor (menswear) and contributing arts editor of The Japan Times. He is also the Tokyo editor of Sportswear International and contributes to publications such as High Fashion, Dazed Digital, JC Report and Japanese Streets. He has also been interviewed for TV including NHK’s Tokyo Fashion Express and lifestyle magazines such as Metropolis and Kaleidoscope magazine.

About the photographer:
As long as he is behind his camera Will is a happy man. He has photographed everything from the slums of Bangkok to the catwalks of Tokyo. He is a contract photographer for Lonely Planet, his images and photo essays have appeared in Time Out, The Japan Times, Sportswear International and a variety of other newspapers, magazines and guidebooks around the world and his photo essays from Iraq for The Griffith Review even earned him a mention in the Australian book review of the year in 2006. In addition to his media related work, Will also shoots events, portraits, weddings and the occasional CD cover. Whatever he’s working on, he always writes about his jobs and how he goes about them at Will Robb Photography.