Struggle against the reality, rejection of the dominant thinking, eternal dystopia. Cav Empt, derived from the Latin phrase Caveat Emptor (buyer beware), blends these components breathing life to one of the most radical protagonists of the current underground scene. Acid and distorted, worthy heir to the Blade Runner legacy.
Established in 2011 by Toby Feltwell, Sk8thing, and Hishiyama Yutaka, the brand immediately became a totemic landmark within the purest niche of streetwear. That kind of streetwear that questions itself about the meaning of its own name, its relationship with contemporary society, and its fickle evolution. The answers do not matter, it is all about reflection.
Not surprisingly, the three minds behind this incandescent miracle gravitated for many years around the cream of Japanese fashion, contributing to the success of some of its most iconic players.
Although its essence is not strictly related to Tokyo, Cav Empt takes its beginnings from the stifling atmosphere permeating the city right after the tragedy of the earthquake.
The response was a very personal journey across the labyrinths of human behaviors, in search of what is necessary and what is not. And so it is today. Sophisticated workwear, highly conceptual cargo pants, cyberpunk parkas. And prints. Graphics are the real core of anesthetics that results from a deep sense of belonging. Having truly lived certain circumstances during certain periods gives to the three designers the capability of creating pieces perfectly matching the streets and perfectly originating from the streets. It is not a stylistic exercise or an ambitious attempt of expressing something that has never been. It is life. Shattered, noisy, pitiless existence. An existence that you can serenely accept or that you can try to subvert hidden in the shadows.
Providing an alternative, forcing people to meditate more deeply. This is Cav Empt.
A clandestine project whose illustrations outline with chaotic lucidity the incongruity between expectations and facts, between chasing a luminous future and the downfall. It is a constantly developing look at a determined destiny inexplicably gone wrong. Outdated technology, consumerism manifestos, gloomy symbolism. The mystery shrouding these runes and their fathers continue to generate huge hype for any new collection. And probably the main reason should be sought in the flexibility of the outputs. Each individual can absorb and interpret these chimeras in its own way. Are they relics of a vanished civilization that pushed itself too far, coded messages from disenchanted geniuses or outrageous depictions of the monsters of our time? The lab is still active.
Cav Empt dares to be present.
It deals with the failure of futuristic imagery and takes notes from the past in order to be relevant within this specific era. Its unmistakable creations are thought to share uncensored comments about aberrations of all kinds. Skeleton communication. Distribution through hyper-selected meccas of streetwear. These are the ingredients for an uncompromising doctrine, a community, a sect of believers in other garments, and in other paths.
Written by
Rocco Colella
Photos by