DEEPTOKYO
magazine
EN
DEEPTOKYO
magazine
EN
2025.08.21
In Tokyo, every era has had its own brand that symbolizes the city. The appeal of streetwear lies in its ability to transform the atmosphere of the streets into fashion, while preserving individuality and expressing originality through a DIY spirit. This time, we focus on “BlackEyePatch,” a streetwear brand that represents the 2020s. 2025 summer, it shocked many by suddenly opening a pop-up store at the Shibuya Scramble Crossing. Using this move as a clue, we explore why “BlackEyePatch” has gained such strong support.
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BlackEyePatch" is a Tokyo-based fashion brand started in 2013 by an unknown designer. At the time of its launch, the brand's logo was silk-screened onto invoices for parcel delivery services, etc., and placed around the streets of Tokyo and other cities in Japan. The idea behind this was the culture of graffiti writers drawing their own tags on the slips as stickers, which they used as a DIY PR tool for the brand.
Through this activity, the brand gradually became known as a “mysterious sticker collective.”
Its logo, named the “OG LABEL,” spread from the streets nationwide. The first apparel item produced was a T-shirt featuring this logo, marking the beginning of full-scale apparel production.
What sets “BlackEyePatch” apart is its deep ties not only to fashion but also to hip-hop and art. This stance has been consistent since its early days. In 2016, the brand collaborated with photographer Jiro Konami to release the photo book JIRO KONAMI: GIMATAI, which drew attention in the art scene. In 2017, it joined the Amazon Fashion Week program “AT TOKYO,” staging a show at the former site of Shibuya’s Kanze Noh Theater. Gaining attention as a mysterious label, in 2021 it achieved major success through a collaboration with H&M, firmly establishing its status as a fashion brand.
In 2023, it launched its women’s line, “BlackEyePatch WOMEN.” It has also carried out numerous collaborations with global corporations such as G-SHOCK, as well as uniquely Japanese projects including a collaboration with photographer Nobuyoshi Araki (Arāki). The brand also boldly declared, “We are the streetwear brand that represents Japan in the 2020s,” displaying the message on billboards in Shibuya and Shinsaibashi, which became a hot topic.
In 2023, it launched its women’s line, “BlackEyePatch WOMEN.” It has also carried out numerous collaborations with global corporations such as G-SHOCK, as well as uniquely Japanese projects including a collaboration with photographer Nobuyoshi Araki (Arāki). The brand also boldly declared, “We are the streetwear brand that represents Japan in the 2020s,” displaying the message on billboards in Shibuya and Shinsaibashi, which became a hot topic.
Collaboration items with rapper Yūki Chiba, sold at the flagship store “BlackEyePatch HARAJUKU.” T-shirt ¥8,800
Mesh Cap ¥7,700
Another defining feature of “BlackEyePatch” design is its “sampling.” The brand reconstructs existing industrial designs through its own interpretation, transforming them into a distinctive style. Sampling culture has long been passed down in hip-hop and street culture, and this cultural essence forms the core of the brand’s appeal. Another characteristic is graphics that evoke an “Asian” atmosphere as perceived from abroad. For example, motifs reminiscent of souvenirs found in gift shops in American Chinatowns are incorporated into products. Such exotic elements feel fresh and distinctive.
A graphic overlaying the brand logo onto U.S. labels—an example of sampling industrial design.
The pop-up store “BlackEyePatch TOKYO SOUVENIR SHOP” showcased the brand’s individuality to the fullest. Held from July 17 to August 31, 2025, at an event space (the former Sanzanri site) located at the Shibuya Scramble Crossing, its concept was “Tokyo Souvenir Shop,” featuring items reimagined by the brand as if they were tourist souvenirs.
Keychains and carabiners perfect as souvenirs, shaped from the brand’s past graphics.
The exhibition spanned two floors—first and basement—where each product brimmed with humor and a striking presence. Particularly memorable was the basement, where the entire wall was boldly covered with the brand name in blockbuster-style graffiti, creating an overwhelming impact. The choice of location also reflected the brand’s idea that “Tokyo’s entertainment districts surprisingly lack typical souvenir shops.” In this way, they created a new kind of “souvenir shop” unlike any other, right in the heart of the city.
On the first floor, monitors, newly produced items, and numerous brand archives were displayed.
The basement showcased products such as T-shirts, with a massive blockbuster-style graffiti mural dominating the wall.
A T-shirt incorporating the “OG LABEL” into the checkered pattern of a “China bag,” a type of laundry bag commonly used in the United States. ¥7,700.
Today, the Scramble Crossing is a symbolic Tokyo landmark visited by tourists from around the world. By opening a souvenir shop at its very center, “BlackEyePatch” created a space where people from across the globe could actually visit and buy souvenirs. The fact that this was executed by a fashion brand rooted in hip-hop and art culture makes it exceptionally unique—something no other brand could easily replicate.
Of course, the brand is not limited to pop-ups. In April 2023, it opened its flagship store “BlackEyePatch HARAJUKU” on Tonchan Street in Harajuku. With its black exterior walls emblazoned with the “OG LABEL” logo, the store exudes a heavy, mysterious atmosphere, powerfully embodying the brand’s identity.
The “OG LABEL” logo displayed on the flagship store “BlackEyePatch HARAJUKU.”
The brand has since opened flagship stores in central Osaka and Nagoya, with plans to expand directly managed stores nationwide. Supported mainly by young people and subculture enthusiasts, “BlackEyePatch” has cemented its status as one of Japan’s leading streetwear brands. If you haven’t encountered it yet, now is the time to check it out.
