For its 2012 spring/summer collection, veteran Japanese brand, GOODENOUGH, aligns with former Stussy and newly appoint adidas creative director, Paul Mittleman, for a capsule collection of graphic tees. Inspired by revolutionaries of the past, these streetwear glory year tees, featuring strong messages for our youth, including “you must learn” and “fight the power.” This empowering collection will be available at select GOODENOUGH retailers for ¥6,825 JPY (approximately $89 USD), starting this Saturday.

Source: honeyee

Paul Mittleman has been one of the striving forces as creative director for Stussy since the early ’90s by helping make the brand what it is today. Earlier today however it announced through Twitter that the longtime creative director will be heading to adidas in Germany. Working with adidas is nothing new to Mittleman with his work including the recent collaborations between Stussy and Ransom by adidas Originals. Stay tuned to see what Mittleman brings to the company as we can only expect great things from here on out.

Stüssy is a brand of particular importance and familiarity among the Hypebeast demographic. A critical piece of the puzzle has been Paul Mittleman who has done an admirable job of maintaining relevancy within Stüssy as a whole, despite the ever rapidly changing landscape brought on by increased competition and of course the world of online media. Through this piece, we get up close and personal with Paul Mittleman as well as have him say his last goodbyes as he moves on from Stüssy starting next month.

Continuous innovation… evolves multiplicities and movement. It creeps and lurks throughout smooth and striated spaces. Anyone who says they are bored is not an innovator. While innovation may be be boring at times, it must be ahead of the present. Innovation is a state, a continuous becoming. It’s not for the static.

My holy grail… is my wife, daughter, family, friends and my dogs (I like my books and music as well, and a high-speed connection is very vital. I need hyper-connection and connectivity).

Design is… different for all designers (and people). I would assume as a designer your definition shifts depending on what you create, as well as your process and/or method. Being a designer or wanting to be one is a wonderful job; it creates the possibilities of new spaces and openings. If you are not interested in change and unfolding do not become a designer. Designing might be stance, framing, timing, zooming, scanning, trashing, rethinking, sharing, reflecting, critiquing, creating solutions and being curious.

Keeping a brand relevant… is just being you. The competition and trends can ruin a brand. Carve out who you are, and become what you can be on your own unique terms.

Life in LA… is pretty amazing. Beach, desert, mountains, weather, food and if I get antsy hop on a plane, or I always have the internet. Oh yea, lots of great people as well. LA is kind of a blur, but it is a wonderful place.

The term “influencer” has… been played out like Kwame and 8 Ball jackets… Thanks Big E and Quest.

If I wasn’t… doing this then I would of been something else, but then I would not be writing this. If I was not I you would of never asked me to do this. Was not is really hard for me to comprehend, too many possibilities.

I would like… to breed dogs (Rhodesian Ridgebacks or black and tan Coonhounds), have a horse and a single bolt action rifle, climb Everest, finish my Ph.D (Philosophy and yes I am serious), fly fish for fonefish in some flats with a really good guide, work with metal, take more pictures, learn watercolors, ride deep powder with friends, fix a few messed up relationships, and try and help a few people if I can.

Twitter is… great. The problem is not Twitter, it is just a few bad tweets. I have no idea what Twitter will become, the ride sure is fun.

On September 1, 2001… we packed up the truck and moved from NYC to LA. Not really sure why, it just seemed like a good idea at the time (it was). I remember vividly driving across the George Washington Bridge at about 6 p.m. and getting a phone call from a dear friend saying he would miss us (us being my wife, three-month-old daughter and a Rottweiler named Ruby. She was a good dog, my 1st dog). I looked down the Hudson River at dusk and never saw the World Trade Center again (I must say I am a bit teary eyed writing this now). Ten years later, we are moving once again on the same date. This will be my last written tidbit to share with you all from my tenure at Stüssy and Los Angeles. It has been great. I want to say thanks to the Stüssy crew (Frank, Emmy, Nick, Scott, RA, Adam, Anthony, Jorge, and the rest of the gang, it has been a pleasure and thank you for the opportunity). Union LA (Chris I hope u FedEx). Supreme LA (Berto, Jeff, Ben. I hope someone else can entertain you as well as I have, sorry no more ribs). Undefeated (well without Eddie and James I would not be able 2 make this move). Duel Forces (Hombre is man, DF is Hombre), SA Studio (thanks for the ink, laughs and education, now I need my back hooked up), Fuct (well it’s Fucted, I need a horse), all my other friends in LA I hope 2 see you around. In the end the person I was on the phone with driving over the bridge told me, something that resonated, “Be careful for what you wish for.”

This was not a PR stunt, Luis asked me a few weeks ago to answer these questions and after it was done, I wanted to say farewell. See you all around, but from a new terrain (Germany). Best, Paul.

A comprehensive feature has just been published on honeyee involving the two creative minds behind the recently seen A BATHING APE x Stussy holiday collection. An in-depth interview picks the brain of both NIGO and Stussy’s creative director, Paul Mittleman who both share a profound mutual respect for one another. Additionally, the influence of Harajuku is prominently mentioned as the catalyst for creativity and innovation. The excerpts can be seen below.

So how did the collaboration come about?

N: We did a small collaboration earlier this year, but it was Paul who suggested we do something on a bigger scale.

P: Stussy and BAPE have never really done anything together in the past. So now, having the opportunity to do something with a brand we had never worked with, it seemed a shame not to make it real opportunity and to waste it by just doing another tee shirt. If it was going to work out – communicating long distance – we needed to be able to trust each other. After the first meeting it moved forward with Nigo, Sk8THG and the team without too much back and forth, it was just easy.

N: It also felt easy to collaborate on this from my side too. Stussy was here first and I grew up wearing it. Of course it was an influence and in a way an aspiration for me – to create a brand like that. I saw a photo of Paul as a member of the “International Stussy Tribe” before I met him. I really wanted one of those varsity jackets (laughs).

P: I can’t remember exactly when I first met Nigo, but it was early on, when he started the company. But there was a certain point where we came back to Japan and you’re like: “Wow -this BAPE thing’s serious!”. Within a short space of time they did an insane job of creating an identity, clothing and branding. In the story of streetwear: Stussy may have started it but BAPE took it and redefined it for the next generation.

Do you think that the story of Harajuku has value to an international audience?

P: I have been influenced by the culture that came out of Harajuku and I think that global culture has been influenced too. but there really aren’t so many people overseas who understand the origin of that culture. Things have changed, but I think that there was something unique about the culture here, which I find interesting. There was a real community between different groups that can’t be found in New York or London. Also, the brands that emerged from Harajuku were based in American culture, but they weren’t just following the formula. Not to say that it’s a misunderstanding of American culture – I recognize my own culture again in a new way in Harajuku’s culture.

N: Talking about networks – Stussy always had a world-wide network: Hiroshi (Fujiwara) in Tokyo, Michael (Kopelman) in London. I was in awe of that. By the way the theme for my outfit is “HF ’89″ (laughs).

P: I first came to Tokyo in 1990. Hiroshi was definitely wearing an MA-1. I remember that he gave me a GOODENOUGH T-shirt. There is a real network in different places around the world. It’s great to know that there are friends in any of the world’s cities. The “International Stussy Tribe” network is so big now. I think the distribution list for the IST varsity would be way too long (laughs). But in the early 90′s it was impossible to get BAPE except by coming to Tokyo and it was hard to find out about the brand. That was one thing that always made coming to Tokyo special.

The items in the collaboration are mostly BAPE styles from the 90′s?

N: Well, yes – Paul basically presented a plan of designs, and I made a few comments on that and moved it forward. It does feel like we arrived at a sort of 90′s feel somehow. Maybe younger people will be able to see this as something fresh, for people of my generation there is a hint of nostalgia there.

P: In the 90′s BAPE’s introduction of the proprietary camo’s was very new and influential. Stussy was important to the development of T-shirts, but BAPE took the sweatshirt to the next level. The use of graphics and print on sweatshirts have become a standard. It isn’t easy for one brand to create an item that becomes a standard in the product line-ups of other brands, it was a game changer.

N: Thank you. Overall I think this is a good collection. The fact of these two brands doing something together is something that has a certain impact throughout the world. I think that’s interesting. It is was to understand – in a positive way. I think that’s what Paul was thinking to do this time.

As Stussy surges forward for its 30th anniversary “XXX” collection, the brand unveils what is arguably its strongest roster of collaborators with Group 2. The involved parties include some heavyweight Japanese brands such as Bounty Hunter and Neighborhood, the venerable Supreme, the Australian brand PAM, artist CLAW and two retailers, The Hideout and SlamJam. In addition, we conducted a short Q+A with one of Stussy’s creative forces, Paul Mittleman. Group 2 of Stussy’s 30th Anniversary XXX collection will release on Saturday March 20th at Stussy.com as well as Stussy Chapter Stores around the world.

Interview with Paul Mittleman

From an anniversary standpoint, what does the 30th anniversary represent?
This anniversary is a wonderful mark in time. A juncture to look back and forward, while living, working and creating in the ever fleeting and changing present.

How does the XXX T-shirt project differ from say the 2006 World Tour project, which followed a similar route?
The World Tour was a study of Difference and repetition. It was a more formal curatorial work investigating design, gesture, marks and inspiration. The XXX T-shirt project was framed under the guise relations. It was a celebration of friends and family. Some new, some old, some creators and some shops, but all close. Also, we wanted to explore the work of women in this series their voice and perspective accenting our ever-blossoming Stussy Women’s collection.

Having had the good fortune of being involved in so many collaborations over the years, how does Stussy continually try to push the envelope?
We just keep communication and dialogues open; we have lots of friends and the wonderful opportunity to let our brand resonate with other languages, inspiration and unfolding conversations.

Has Stussy required re-visiting the concept of collaboration due to the proliferation of the concept over the last few years?
We just look at every collaboration as an interesting opportunity. They all have different possibilities and expectations.

Aside from the XXX t-shirt project, how far in advance did you begin the planning process for all the various collaborations for the 30th anniversary?
Around 12 months is a good benchmark, it really depends on the project.

When it came to choosing the participants for the t-shirt project this time around, what common bond does each personality and brand share? Were there a certain criteria?
The criteria were people we have worked with or have a friendship with. It was about honesty and respect.

Was there a particular overview provided to each designer to ensure a general theme?
Not really, we wanted them to have fun; it was there turn to make us a birthday card.

Is there method or reason behind the groupings?
The groupings were pretty organic, time and space had a few factors.

Stussy’s relevance looks to extend well beyond its 30th anniversary. What would you say is the reason behind its longevity and what directions can the brand look to explore in the coming years?
We will explore timely ideas continuing to look back and forwards. Investigating equilibriums of creativity and commerce that will keep us modern and fresh until 2040.

Facing years of communist rule, the citizens of the former Soviet Union led a life that pales in comparison to their current society. Present day Russia now enjoys much freedom and as a result we see change overcoming many years of Iron Curtain rule with the youth culture slowly progressing and taking a form of its own. In the feature “City in Progress”, Stussy’s creative director Paul Mittleman uncovers the current Russian landscape over three chapters. Chapter one includes a step in the past and the old Soviet rule as he travels through Protiovostoyanie (aka Secured Command Post «Taganskiy»”). Built in the Cold War era 1950s, the underground complex served as a communications base. Further chapters look at the new guard of retailers catering to the up and coming generation as well as an interview with Andrey Kovalev regarding Russian youth. View the piece over at honeyee.

Following up on the1st part of their Boneyards feature, Beinghunted follow-up on the inaugural effort with a 2nd part which features an interview with three respective industry heavyweights including Paul Mittleman of Stussy, Fraser Cooke of Nike and Shinsuke Takizawa of Neighborhood. The interview uncovers each personalities histories and how the whole Boneyards collaboration came about. Check the interview out here.