Collection: READYMADE
RATED HERITAGE — THE JAPONISTA CULTURAL ARCHIVE
Reconstruction as Memory: Readymade and the Afterlife of Objects
Military surplus, trauma, irony, and care—assembled into a contemporary Japanese language.
Readymade is not a brand concerned with novelty. It is a practice concerned with aftermath.
Founded by Yuta Hosokawa, Readymade emerged from an obsessive engagement with American military surplus—objects already saturated with history, labor, and violence. Helmets, tents, duffel bags, and field gear are not treated as raw materials, but as witnesses. Each piece enters the Readymade universe already complete, already burdened, already meaningful.
Rather than “upcycling,” Readymade performs a kind of cultural reconstruction. The garments and objects are disassembled, reconfigured, and recontextualized, yet never erased. Fading, stenciling, tears, and stains are preserved as evidence. The result is work that feels closer to conservation than fashion—objects stabilized just enough to survive another life.
Readymade’s significance lies in how it reframes postwar American material culture through a Japanese lens. What began as tools of conflict become carriers of reflection. Irony is present, but never careless. Violence is acknowledged, but not aestheticized. There is restraint, distance, and an unmistakable sense of responsibility toward the past.
For collectors, Readymade pieces often function less as clothing and more as fragments of narrative. They are kept not for comfort or trend alignment, but for what they hold: the tension between utility and meaning, between destruction and care. Wearing them is a conscious act. Keeping them is an ethical one.
Concierge & Cultural Sourcing
If you are seeking early Readymade releases or archive-level constructions, our Concierge & Cultural Sourcing Service can assist discreetly and responsibly.
Curator’s Note: Readymade belongs to a broader Japanese tradition of confronting modern history through objects rather than images. This collection connects directly to our cultural study, The Afterlife of Utility: War Surplus and Japanese Object Ethics .
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Readymade fashion, art, or artifact?
It exists between categories—intentionally—operating as garment, sculpture, and historical document.
Why military surplus?
Because these objects already carry history. Readymade reveals rather than replaces meaning.
Are imperfections flaws?
No. They are evidence of life and use, preserved rather than corrected.
Should Readymade be worn or preserved?
Either choice is valid. What matters is conscious engagement with the object.