TheCityClassics
New York
Seoul
Berlin
It’s individuals that create fashions and the feeling of a city. Introducing three sets of friends, each styling LifeWear their own way.
Part 1 | New York
Brooklyn artists in a modern preppy style, shining bright against the classic cityscape.
Two bridges, symbols of the city. In the foreground is the Brooklyn Bridge, with the Manhattan Bridge behind it. “This green windproof jacket is really working for me, both the color and the fit,” says Max.
- UNISEX WINDPROOF STAND BLOUSON
- UNISEX FLANNEL SHIRT
- MEN STRAIGHT JEANS(UNIQLO and JW ANDERSON)
Max Kolo
Artist, Filmmaker
Focusing on illustration and animation, Max works on everything from digital art to brand collaborations. When he met Teya, the friend joining him today, on a social media campaign, the two quickly hit it off. Max opts for a bright orange PUFFTECH jacket with deep indigo denim for a strikingly urban ensemble.
Teya Kepila
Ceramic Artist
“Modern is about inclusivity. In my view, classics have a sense of consistency,” says Teya, who runs the ceramic brand The Turmeric Times. She makes her work at her home studio in Brooklyn. Teya took a liking to the windproof parka, which she combined with other white tones in a classic city style.
Working in the studio. The loop-closure collar and cropped fit of the UNISEX FLANNEL SHIRT are trendy features.
- WOMEN FLANNEL BOXY SHIRT(UNIQLO and JW ANDERSON)
- WOMEN / UNISEX JERSEY BARREL LEG PANTS
For basic styles like shirts and sweats, don’t skimp on the bright colors. Pictured at a bookstore bar in Bushwick.
- Molasses Books
-
770 Hart St, Brooklyn, NY
A street in tranquil Brooklyn Heights. Toss on a classic jacket for a stroll past the brownstones and trees.
Today’s Classics for City Living
“To me, modernism is about expanding the boundaries of culture,” says Max. “Today’s classics reinterpret the basics for a whole new generation.”
Max waxes philosophical about the city, befitting someone so immersed in Brooklyn, where new kinds of culture are born every day. It’s safe to say the same applies to clothes and styles. They may look basic, but they’re packed with functional up- dates like windproof fabric or comfortable fill designed for city living. Because the styles are so authentic, it makes you want to mix things up with bold accent colors or a shirt in a new silhouette. Just like the ever-changing cityscape of New York, these basics continue to evolve.
Part 2 | Seoul
Minimal styles and dark tonal colors. Seoul blends modernism and craftsmanship.
Lee Jin Ha
Actor
Debuting in 2017, Lee Jin Ha has worked in dramas, films, and most recently as a model. “I like checking out the buildings in a city,” she says, standing beside one built by the Swiss architectural practice Herzog & de Meuron. The peculiar structure in the foreground is actually a bus shelter. This modern landscape calls for a chic tailored style of complementary dark browns.
Wie Sung Woong
Actor
Wie Sung Woong is an actor working in independent film. Behind him stands Dongdaemun Design Plaza, one of Seoul’s most iconic modern buildings. The casual black denim work jacket, featuring brown corduroy collar and sleeve lining, matches nicely with a gently faded pair of black jeans.
Located in Yeonnam-dong, sayujib specializes in antiques and work by Korean artists. The body and sleeves of this seamless 3D knit merino blend polo sweater give it a trim and tidy fit.
- sayujib
-
2F, 24, Seongmisan-ro 29-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
This zipped blouson takes cues from vintage workwear. The dark brown has a striking modern look. Pictured in front of GRAPHIC, a book café in Itaewon specializing in comics and graphic novels.
- UNISEX ZIP UP BLOUSON(UNIQLO and JW ANDERSON)
- UNISEX EASY CARE SOFT SHIRT(UNIQLO : C)
- MEN PLEATED RELAXED WIDE PANTS
- GRAPHIC
-
33, Hoenamu-ro 39-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
A cafe in a hanok, or traditional Korean house. The Uniqlo U dress has a gorgeous drape and uses satin for the skirt.
- WOMEN SATIN COMBINATION DRESS(Uniqlo U)
- UNISEX COLORFUL 50 SOCKS
- UNISEX UTILITY JACKET(Uniqlo U)
- SEOI gallery Coffee Club
-
102, Gyedong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Trend-setting cities
thrive on contrasts
Churning out a steady stream of internationally renowned pop culture, these places are also repositories of minimalist modern buildings and classic masonry structures. Seoul has both in spades, making an understated tonal wardrobe the perfect match. The bold look of a coated jacket, reminiscent of an MA-1 or leather bomber, can be softened through the use of darker neutral colors, for a simple, elegant impression. These two actors agree that Seoul can be summed up as a “passionate place.” In their view, modern means “no frills.” Seoul today is all about combining colors to create your own unique brand of minimalism.
Part 3 | Berlin
Clean styles and casual fits. Everyday chic with young actors in Berlin.
Voicu Dumitraș
Actor
Launching his career in 2017, Voicu is currently studying acting at university. He befriended Greta (right) on the set of Club der roten Bänder – Die neue Generation. “This look works great both for walking around town or for dressing up a bit,” he says. The dark blue denim trucker jacket and slim trousers make for a smart fit.
Greta Krämer
Actor
Greta appeared in Sound of Falling, which won the Jury Prize at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Describing herself as a UNIQLO fan, she’s pictured here strolling past the World Clock, one of the most famous meeting places in Berlin. Worn with her workwear-inspired compact blouson, her fresh denim culottes create the perfect A-line silhouette. Faded colors suit the modern cityscape.
Berlin indie bookstore pioneer Pro qm is known for its curated selection. Greta styles her classic coat with a bright red sweater.
Voicu’s look combines wide-legged denim with a knit jacket. Ampelmännchen, the walking figure in the green light, and the Television Tower in the background are both symbols of Berlin.
- WOMEN / UNSIEX TRENCH COAT
- WOMEN MERINO CREW NECK SWEATER
- WOMEN OXFORD BOXY SHIRT(UNIQLO and JW ANDERSON)
- WOMEN PLEATED SKORT
- WOMEN BOOTS(UNIQLO : C)
- UNISEX SOFT COATED DRAWSTRING BAG(Uniqlo U)
- MEN KNITTED JACKET(UNIQLO : C)
- UNISEX BROADCLOTH STRIPED SHIRT
- UNISEX BARREL JEANS(UNIQLO : C)
- MEN SUEDE LEATHER BELT
- UNISEX COLORFUL 50 SOCKS
Opened in 1929 in the middle of the city, Kino Babylon is an independent movie theater where you can still watch silent movies with live orchestral accompaniment as well as movies screened on film. Voicu’s cardigan is a new item from UNIQLO : C.
- MEN MERINO BLEND SHIRTS COLLAR CARDIGAN(UNIQLO : C)
- UNISEX BROADCLOTH CHECK SHIRT
- MEN PLEATED RELAXED WIDE PANTS
- WOMEN / UNISEX COATED BLOUSON(Uniqlo U)
- WOMEN HEATTECH EXTRA WARM CASHMERE BLEND TURTLE NECK T-SHIRT(UNIQLO : C)
- WOMEN EZY WIDE STRAIGHT JEANS
- UNISEX HEATTECH SCARF
- UNISEX BROADCLOTH CHECK SHIRT
- MEN PLEATED RELAXED WIDE PANTS
- MEN SUEDE LEATHER BELT
- MEN MERINO BLEND SHIRTS COLLAR CARDIGAN(UNIQLO : C)
Balancing clean and
casual
“Anything can happen anytime! There’s just no way of knowing,” says Greta about Berlin, where she was born and raised. With its signature trams, the World Clock in the public square of Alexanderplatz, and Television Tower, and as the home of the German film industry, Berlin has an atmosphere altogether different from cities in neighboring France and Poland. What allows the city to accommodate such an amazing mix of things and somehow feel so organized is the strong influence of minimalist design, starting with the Bauhaus. This makes casual chic styles just right for a city like Berlin. Think broadcloth shirts or jackets paired with wide-legged denim bottoms and casual outerwear dressed up with smart trousers or classic skirts. Styles that are easy to wear, yet elegant and right for any scene. This kind of mixing and matching is bound to elevate your daily wardrobe.
- Photography by Kohei Kawashima
- Styling by Mitsuru Kurosawa
- Hair by Izumi Sato (NY), Kyungmi Oh (Seoul)
- Makeup by Aimi Osada, Miki Ishikura (NY), Seo-in Park (Seoul)
- Hair & Makeup by Sayuri Sakairi (Berlin)
- Film by Amin Shaikh
- Coordination by Sako Hirano (NY), Yukiko Yamane (Berlin)
- Chiharu Fujimoto (TANO International)
- Text by UNIQLO