Hello everyone, this is Nagata.
At master-piece, we’ve been keeping busy with the opening of our Fukuoka store, the 15th anniversary of our Osaka Flagship Store, and various product releases. Today, I’m excited to introduce a special feature from our 2025 S/S Collection: the “MUNE ATSUSHI × master-piece Collaboration Series.”
In the past, we’ve periodically released patterned fabric bags, including our long-running collaboration with “nowartt,” which many of you might recall. For this season, we’ve teamed up with the up-and-coming artist and illustrator Mune Atsushi.
The Illustration That Won Our “Reviewer Award”
In September 2023, I attended the “UNKNOWN ASIA 2023” art fair held in Osaka as a reviewer. It’s an annual event I look forward to, always excited by the incredible artworks and artists I encounter.
Among them was a piece by Mune Atsushi. His illustration—combining traditional Japanese motifs with bold colors and unique arrangements—left a strong impression, and we selected it for the master-piece “Reviewer Award.”
What if Art Carried master-piece Bags?
Later on, an idea struck me—what if the characters in Mune’s illustrations carried master-piece bags, and the artwork resembled a Hawaiian shirt print? I pitched it to him, and he cheerfully replied, “Let’s do it!” That marked the beginning of our collaboration.
I’ve come to believe that timing and chemistry are essential. A great idea won’t come to life if the timing’s off. And if the vibe isn’t right, it won’t be fun—and great things rarely come from that. Enjoying the process matters a lot to me.
Eventually, we decided to illustrate each of the twelve zodiac animals (plus a cat—often left out but too cute to ignore), each holding a master-piece bag. The final composition wasn’t quite the all-over Hawaiian-style pattern we originally imagined. Instead, aligning each character directionally allowed each one to shine more distinctly.
Simple Designs That Let the Graphics Shine
The main star this time is the original graphic itself. So we kept the bag designs simple to let the artwork pop, minimizing panel switches.
Rather than use existing designs, we created three new shapes: backpack, shoulder bag, and tote. These blend elements from our Root and Freak series. We loved the resulting forms so much, we’re considering using them for other fabrics, too.
We also updated two existing styles: No.289164 (drawstring shoulder bag) and No.289165 (smartphone shoulder bag), making them more user-friendly with wider shoulder straps.
Turning Original Artwork into Bag Canvases
Available in Two Color Variants
- Beige: Faithfully reproduces the tones of Mune’s original artwork
- Black: Offers a more minimal, versatile tone for easy styling
Functional Materials
The bag fabric is a plain-woven 600d polyester, featuring sublimation transfer printing to reproduce the original graphics. It has a water-repellent surface finish and acrylic backing for added durability.
Each model uses different leathers for the trim:
- Beige model: 1.8mm thick eco-nume cow leather tanned with 100% vegetable-based agents, free from harmful chemicals (certified by NISSENKEN Oeko-Tex Standard 100)
- Black model: Eco cow leather that meets JES (Japan Leather Technology Association) standards, free from harmful substances
The bags also include an embossed leather tag featuring Mune Atsushi’s signature logo—a subtle but special touch marking this collaboration.
In Closing
As you might know, there are many stories about why the cat isn’t included in the traditional zodiac. I only learned about them after meeting Mune—if you haven’t heard, it’s worth a quick search!
Which master-piece bag is each zodiac character holding?
We invite you to explore the collection in person at our flagship stores, authorized retailers nationwide, or our online store.
Thank you for reading all the way through!
– Nagata
▼ Click here for the MUNE ATSUSHI × master-piece Collaboration Series
Mune Atsushi
Born in 1991, based in Osaka. He began working as an artist at age 25. His signature visual language draws inspiration from traditional Japanese picture scrolls and ukiyo-e, often featuring textured noise and bold use of white space. His illustrations, created with acrylics and inks, pursue a unique style he describes as “Wa-pop”—a Japanese twist on pop art.
https://munezo.com/
UNKNOWN ASIA
An artist-driven international art fair held in Osaka, attracting creatives from Japan and across Asia. Launched in 2015, the fair has featured a total of 1,497 participating artists. In 2023, it welcomed over 13,000 visitors over three days, making it one of the largest art events in western Japan.
https://unknownasia.net/
