More than 70 years after they were introduced, souvenir jackets – those colourful, embroidered satin bombers seen on everyone from Harry Styles to Keith Richards – are having a sure-fire fashion moment. A potent mix of Eastern and Western iconography, these jackets are the standout piece of the season, with variations seen on the runways of Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton and Gucci.
Also known as sukajan, the garments originated in post-WWII Japan, where American servicemen used Japanese and Chinese dragons and tigers, among other Eastern motifs, to customise their flight jackets.
This season, Lane Crawford has collaborated with London’s Central Saint Martins-educated, Hong Kong-based designer Joseph Li to create an exclusive capsule collection of souvenir jackets. Featuring the intricate embroidery of animals from the Chinese zodiac, including the tiger, dragon and monkey - all made in the finest silk - his collection is the perfect interpretation of the trend.
Chinese motifs, quality fabrics and modern, sportswear-influenced shapes are at the centre of Li’s brand, SAAM1, founded last year. Taking eclectic inspiration from grime artist Skepta, Bruce Lee, Jean-Michele Basquiat and the London based tattoo auteur Maxime Buchi; Li combines influences from new and old pop culture with minimalist shapes and bold details.
Besides the zodiac animals, Li also embroidered Chinese numerological charts on the bombers, to explore the idea of, “how numbers order our lives in today’s digital world.”
It’s this intriguing mix of old and new that makes Li’s jackets the ultimate embodiment of East meets West: a modern staple, reworked.
