Brand Design: Black Eye Patch Fashion Label

OVERVIEW & PURPOSE

Black Eye Patch is a streetwear fashion label based in Tokyo, Japan. Their clothing is inspired mainly by the Hip-Hop culture in America. Their style is unique in that it offers much for their brand too reach their target audience in streetwear, such as stickers, delivery packages, and more. What makes the Black Eye Patch brand distinct above most other brands that offer Hip-Hop and streetwear clothing is their focus on delivery packages as part of their branding design. They are a “go-getter” type of company that works fast without sacrificing quality. This article will review the brand, packaging, and stickers as products and elements that shape the overall style to reach the most ideal target market audience.

BRAND

Black Eye Patch is a streetwear fashion brand based in Tokyo, Japan. Started by Founders first as a sticker label that was generously spread across the neighborhood most influenced by the culture of Hip-Hop, Shibuya. After experiencing the life of graffiti, artwork, and street performances, Founders decided to push the culture forward by launching their own brand of their interpretation of Hip-Hop.

PACKAGING

BEP distinguishes itself by focusing on packaging and labels as a brand. Stickers, mailing labels, and archive boxes are the main products highlighted on photography and social media.

This focus shows that the BEP culture (as a company and a sub-culture of Hip-Hop) is focused on “getting things done”. In Hip-Hop, being able to put in work and get results is a common theme for those that know the grind. Work ethic, creative solutions, and making your own way to get by is not just part of a music lyric — for some it’s survival and everyday life. You have to know how to get results or be left in the streets that are quickly unforgiving. That’s real.

Stickers and packaging products are the tools to get shit done. By showcasing these products, and as part of their work culture, they show a clever and rare understanding that appreciates one of the original themes from Hip-Hop roots. This focus distinguished the brand as expansive of fashion — having both depth and substance rather than a clothing and t-shirt business unlike any others. Sticker, labels, and stamps of approval are signifiers that show work when it’s done well. Done right. Damn right!

Insider’s look at the shop from Hypebeast magazine shows a full wall of packaging: bags, tags, mailing tape, a solid mix.

STICKERS

Designer mentions BEP is a fashion label that stems from the epicenter of Japanese street culture — an area named Shibuya in Tokyo. Known for their “deliberate refusal” to follow online trends. According to HypeBeast, founders began the launch of the brand by posting stickers around the city — supermarkets, newsstands, etc.

Sticker culture is about making your presence known. Showing your culture within the community, and also outstanding from the general population. BEP focuus on stickers shows their values, their culture. And the influence they have in the Hip-Hop community. When you believe in what you do, you want to show the world. And for the culture, stickers are the way to go about it! Fast, in the streets, and visuals that separate from traditional marketing.

SUMMARY

The unique value that BEP brings to the Hip-Hop and streetwear culture is emphasis on THE GRIND — being about “getting things done”. Work ethic and action-oriented mindset are essential themes in street culture. This fashion brand is progressive in ideology and presentation for this pillar of Hip-Hop, rarely celebrated outside of the music world. It can be said that if you’re sporting BEP you are someone that knows how to get things done, and done right!

This has been an authentic and original case study in street culture and branding by 97th Avenue. A streetwear tribal fashion brand for the Creative and the Rebellious.

All the best and nothing less,

Tyandrah Ashley.