Complex Kits: Documenting the style of the stars and personalitites who come through our office.
Toronto native Tommy Ton is your favorite blogger's favorite shutterbug. One of our most stylish men in media, his sense of style mixes up Japanese brands like Visvim and Kapital with Italian designers like Marni and more mainstream labels like Club Monaco. His footwear game is equally on point, from Nike Flyknits, Hender Scheme kicks, and Visvim sneakers. So when we heard he was in town, we absolutely had to invite him over to the office for a quick chat.
What are you wearing today, Tommy?
I'm wearing a Club Monaco T-shirt. It's like a crepe-cotton knit, it's an essential for summer—very breathable. Scott Schuman got a lot of heck on his site for calling it a "knitted T-shirt." There was this whole rant of people asking things like "How could you spend $80 on a T-shirt?!"
I mean, if you find something you really like and you know you're gonna wear the hell out of it, then just get it. It's like the Kanye x A.P.C. T-shirt thing—I don't understand why there's so much flack about it being $120—Givenchy T-shirts cost $300.
Definitely, Balmain's been doing that for a while. What about the cool undershirt and jeans?
This is a Visvim T-shirt. The jeans are from COS, an H&M-owned store in Europe. I think if they came here it'd kind of ruin it. They're my "dad jeans." These sneakers are also Visvim.
How'd you discover Visvim and all these Japanese brands like Hender Scheme?
If anything, doing this job and being so immersed online made me discover other brands and cultures. The whole fixation on Japanese brands wouldn't have happened unless everyone started writing about it, and then seeing people wear it.
I didn't understand why things were so expensive, but going to Japan and seeing how much work is put into everything made me realize how important it is to find something well-made and well-crafted.
Why is it all so expensive?
The fabrics that are sourced, and the treatments they do—there's a level of craftsmanship put into everything. I think people don't understand that. There's a difference between when something's made in China or when it's made in Japan, there's a lot of effort put into something. For me, I just save all my money and shop in Japan, where it's cheaper.
How would you describe the style scene in Japan?
It definitely has to do with the fact that there's no judgement or criticism. People are free to do whatever they want, and that's why they're so open-minded about wearing a skirt down the street. No one's gonna look at you twice. From a visual standpoint, you see things there that you don't see every day. From a sensory standpoint, the food and the people are so civilized. I have to go there twice a year now. I know it sounds corny, but being there just makes me feel like a better person. In some ways you just want to better yourself, and be like them.
