On the Road to Catskills by Yuto Kudo
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On the Road to Catskills by Yuto Kudo
A three-day festival of peace and music that captivated a crowd of 400,000. In 1969, Woodstock was held at Yasgur’s Farm in Bethel, commonly known as the Catskills, about a two-hour drive north of New York City. Beatniks, hipsters, apolitical youth, and people weary of the long Vietnam War-despite their differing beliefs and preferences-came together through music in search of love, peace, and freedom. The lingering spirit of that time still fills the area more than half a century later.
NICENESS has been creating collections inspired by counterculture over the past few seasons. The brand’s debut season drew from the style of hipsters, and the most recent SS24 season took inspiration from Eastern philosophy as interpreted by Beat poets. For the AW24 season, the collection is titled “Access to Crafts,” referencing the subtitle of the Whole Earth Catalogue, first published in 1968, which offered practical information for communal living.
Last season, we journeyed to Varanasi, India, with photographer Yuto Kudo, who accompanied Beat poets on their travels. This time, we hopped on a location bus from the heart of New York City and set off for the sacred Catskills with three young people. A two-hour road trip from the bustling city, lined with skyscrapers and brownstone buildings, brought us to the Catskills. Even now, traces of the Woodstock Festival, held more than fifty years ago, remain scattered throughout the town, and Yasgur’s Farm, the original festival site, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In today’s world, where values have become increasingly homogenized, the counterculture movement of the 1960s and iconic events like Woodstock shine even brighter. Drawing inspiration from this series of movements, the AW24 season presents a fashion story themed around a journey to the Catskills by youth captivated by Jack Kerouac’s On the Road. Even now, conflicts rage in various parts of the world. We hope for a future where everyone can celebrate love, peace, and freedom.