July 25th. A date that remains vivid in my memory.
The news that Takahiro Miyashita of TAKAHIROMIYASHITATheSoloist., a brand I greatly admire, was leaving sent shock waves through the fashion industry.
It has been 15 years since the brand was founded. Soloist was created after he left NUMBER (N)INE to pursue new creations. He has released many memorable seasons and has led the fashion industry. As I mentioned in my previous blog, THE ELEPHANT has just started carrying his brand from Spring/Summer 2025.
In fact, I would say that I personally want to keep the striped T-shirt from the first season and the motorcycle jacket from the rough out series from 2015AW in my closet for the rest of my life, and the polka dot shirt with studs from the previous season and other items that are so important to me that they cannot be categorized as "clothing."
I believe that Miyashita is the one who can create things that stir such human emotions, or rather, who is "able" to do so.
The news came at such a short notice, so it was only natural that I felt disappointed, but to be honest, I felt a much stronger excitement, almost a sense of mission, that I would be able to deliver to everyone the final clothing that Miyashita would create as Soloist through THE ELEPHANT.
The spirit of "wearing clothes correctly" remains unchanged from the previous season, but when I visited the exhibition six months ago, the lined up clothes had a clearly different atmosphere than before.
To quote Miyashita, the Fall/Winter 2025 collection , "THE BLACK -AND- WHITE REALISM," is his "coda" (final chapter).
As expected, music always accompanies his creations until the very end.
This final collection has finally arrived in stores, so we are excited to introduce it to you.
NOTCHED LAPEL 2B JACKET
As the title suggests, this collection presents a monochrome world view unified in black and white, and this velvet tailored jacket is an item that symbolizes this season.
The moment you slip on this luxuriously crafted rayon and cupra fabric, which perfectly matches the word "jet black," it exudes an aura that is so soft and elegant that it makes you realize it's more of a garment to "put on" than to "wear."
This is a piece that will make you stand up straight and give you a sense of exhilaration that you have never experienced with any other fabric before.
The leather on the back of the collar, which was also used in the previous season, shows Miyashita's craftsmanship, and he has created clothes that are completely impeccable and endlessly captivating.
There are also buttons on the lapels, so even when worn with a high neck, the fabric area is emphasized, giving it a more refined look.
Miyashita says that many clothes these days lack sex appeal, and that he created this collection with the hope of creating something sweeter and more romantic.
Just as the words suggest, this jacket is a sweet and fantastical piece of work.
I personally enjoy tailored jackets and own many, but this one will undoubtedly become a special piece of clothing in my life.
RAFFLE SHIRT
This shirt, which was used as an inner layer in the previous styling, also has a feminine look, giving it a light and romantic finish.
That's because it is made from luxurious fabrics such as rayon and silk, and the subtle small polka dot pattern adds to the overall drape and gives it a cute and elegant look.
The small bow tie gives an elegant impression, and the ruffles at the collar and cuffs give it a mature yet girlish, ephemeral and alluring look, giving the styling a mild tone.
I think Elephant customers who like fashion will be able to incorporate it into their outfits well.
You can pair it with a skirt for a more feminine look, or pair it with a jacket as shown above for a classic formal look, which will definitely elevate your look.
Horse Riding Coat
This season's Soloist coats are bold maxi length and feature the shape of a horse riding coat, which has been popular since the late 19th century.
Horse riding coats were originally made for comfortable riding, and at the time they were made with cotton gabardine or oiled cotton to protect against the wind and rain, but this coat is made with luxurious gabardine wool, which is perfect for everyday wear, giving it a modern feel.
In addition, unnecessary details have been removed to make it suitable for modern times, allowing it to be worn in a modern style, and Soloist-like gimmicks have been added to create a unique finish.
The large number of dot studs on the lower body are not just details but also act as buttons, and by combining them correctly, the coat can be transformed into a mid-length coat that reaches below the knees.
The way the garments can be changed to suit the needs of each wearer can be interpreted as Miyashita's characteristic respect for "classics," and I feel that this is an approach that serves as a wake-up call to many of today's meaningless clothes.
This luxurious coat, which combines the modern nuances of its numerous studs and maxi length with the elegant mid-length, will be more than enough to be your main outerwear choice this year.
REGLAR COLLAR SHIRT
The last item on our list is a shirt that can be worn more casually in this lineup.
It goes without saying that it is carefully crafted, as is typical of Soloist, but just by looking at it you can see that the graphics are extraordinary.
It is well known that in Japan, there is a tradition of friends writing messages on the blank pages of the yearbook at school graduation ceremonies, but in America there is also a tradition (although it is unclear whether this tradition still continues today) of leaving messages on T-shirts and button-down shirts, and Miyashita himself was inspired by a shirt with messages written on it that he found in a secondhand clothing store in the United States, and this piece has been brought back to life in the modern era.
(I actually remembered a scene in the movie "Secrets of Halloween" that I saw about six years ago where some delinquents were skateboarding wearing shirts with messages written on them.)
The graphics on the shirt I actually found were so good that I adopted the letters, color scheme, and placement exactly as they were, and the cute details like "FUN" on the back of the collar made me smile.
The garment skillfully recreates Miyashita's attitude of "I don't want to become an adult," and the childlike elements that retain a boyish heart also give off a punk vibe, making it a garment that can be enjoyed just by putting it on.
This time too, many items were delivered to customers and sold out before the launch, but the lineup has been completed to add color to Soloist's final season, and we are very proud to be able to bring such a grand and moving brand to everyone.
While I'm eager to hear more news about Miyashita's return to NUMBER (N)INE, I also want to witness the final chapter of Soloist through Elephant.
Please choose the best one. With respect.
Mikio Fukuhara
