Scott Morrison on Brand Evisu

Former head of fashion labels such as Earnest Sewn, Morrison describes the challenge of overhauling a tired clothing brand

Recently, PSFK paid a visit to Evisu's studio in Soho to see how their new CEO and Creative Director Scott Morrison (formerly of Earnest Sewn and Paper, Denim, Cloth fame) was settling into the masthead. Residing in a cozy downtown loft populated by bustling designers and creatives Morrison seemed at home, and told us a little bit about the art and history of Evisu—as well as his vision for the brand.

First off, how have things been going?

It's been a bit chaotic, but also a lot of fun. Essentially we've completely overhauled the brand itself and the management team. There's a collaborative approach to design and management and a re-dedication to the things that made Evisu great when it first began. From the fashion standpoint, there are a few new elements: 1) the men's collection which is based on heritage, denim and workwear inspirations, while 2) the Evisu Genes collection is driven more by current fashion and the international market. The third element is the introduction of a new woman's collection, the first of its kind of Evisu, and a source of real excitement in the office and in the market right now. Its incredible to see so many people passionate about contributing to this brand's revival.

What made you decide to leave your own company to take the reins at Evisu?

It just felt that it was time to move on from Earnest Sewn, for a number of reasons. But mostly due to the fact that I just wasn't having fun. Evisu came along almost immediately after, and as Evisu was 'the' brand in Japanese denim (and one of my greatest inspirations), the opportunity was simply too amazing to overlook.

I guess there are times when you reach a point where you want a different set of challenges, and after having the same thoughts everyday you have to make a choice, even if it involves leaving something you created.

Do you think you could tell us a little about how the brand has evolved from its Japanese roots into what it is today?

The Evisu I discovered was in 1997 or 1998, and it was a brand obsessive about authenticity, quality and maintaining this unyielding commitment to reinventing the lost art of connoisseur quality, American denim. Evisu, along with a few other of the Osaka based brands (aka. the Osaka 5) were creating denim that stood apart from everything else in the world—including products coming from the USA and Italy. As with most things, Evisu began to commercialize its success and in the mid-2000's, Japanese street-wear labels like A Bathing Ape and Hysteric Glamour, started to build a following in the International market. Brands like Evisu were pulled in with them. Eventually most of the Japanese street-wear/denim labels became iconic urban references and in the case of Evisu, much of what the brand stood for was completely lost on a customer that didn't care.

In the last decade the denim industry has changed a lot—with Scandinavian brands stealing much of the US and Japan's thunder. What do you think sets you apart from from some of the newer or more ubiquitous brands like Cheap Monday or Acne?

There's definitely been a shift towards skinny jeans and simpler washes, both of which hail from Scandinavian brands/trends. We've definitely been watching what's going on in Scandinavia, and most of Europe for that matter, and it's impossible not to incorporate some of those themes into our designs. Brands like Hope, Acne, Nudie and Cheap Monday all have their unique place as do we, but it is important to note how quickly denim trends have shifted from Italy to Japan to America to Scandinavia (all in the past 15 years). What's emerging now is a very heritage driven form of psuedo-Americana, where brands like Red Wing, Woolwrich Woolen Mills, and Filson are thriving, so it's going to be interesting to see how things develop from here.

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