Cav Empt
Japan
Cav Empt, also known as C.E, is a Tokyo streetwear brand formed in 2011 by graphic designer Sk8thing, Toby Feltwell and Hishiyama Yutaka, all of whom had worked at A Bathing Ape. Its name comes from the Latin caveat emptor, and its retro-futuristic graphics critique consumerism and technology. It is regarded as one of the most distinctive Japanese labels of the 2010s.
| Founded | 2011, Tokyo |
|---|---|
| Founders | Sk8thing, Toby Feltwell, Hishiyama Yutaka |
| Also known as | C.E |
| Name origin | Caveat emptor, via Philip K. Dick's Ubik |
| Headquarters | Tokyo, Japan |
| Website | cavempt.com |
What is Cav Empt?
Cav Empt is a Japanese streetwear label known for relaxed fits and dense, retro-futuristic graphics. Its designs reference outdated technology, subverted corporate symbols such as the European CE marking, archive film imagery and science fiction. The brand also runs music projects, including DJ mixes and Cav Empt Tape releases.
History
Dazed reports that Cav Empt was formed in Tokyo in 2011, during the power rationing that followed the Tōhoku earthquake. Its founders were Sk8thing, the graphic designer behind much of A Bathing Ape's artwork, Toby Feltwell, a former A&R at XL Recordings, and Hishiyama Yutaka. They had worked together at BAPE and on Billionaire Boys Club. The name, according to Dazed, comes from Philip K. Dick's novel Ubik and abbreviates caveat emptor, Latin for "let the buyer beware".
Products and positioning
Cav Empt sits in the premium segment of Japanese streetwear. Its signatures include:
- Graphic sweatshirts, hoodies and T-shirts with cyberpunk and dystopian themes
- Nylon jackets, denim and utility outerwear
- Collaborations with artists such as Keiichi Tanaami and Oliver Payne
- Projects with musicians including D Double E and Zomby
Business model and distribution
The brand sells through its own online shop and lists stores on its website, and it has been carried by international streetwear retailers. Hypebeast included Sk8thing and Feltwell in its HB100 list every year from 2013 to 2017, and noted that a Fall/Winter 2017 drop included a coat priced at 1,200 US dollars, placing the label at the upper end of streetwear pricing.
Why it matters
Cav Empt shows how streetwear can carry cultural critique, using fashion graphics to question consumerism and media saturation. Its lineage from BAPE and Billionaire Boys Club also illustrates how the creative network around Nigo has seeded a generation of Japanese and international labels.
Frequently asked questions
What does Cav Empt mean?
Cav Empt is short for the Latin phrase caveat emptor, meaning "let the buyer beware". The founders took the reference from Philip K. Dick's science fiction novel Ubik.
Who founded Cav Empt?
Cav Empt was founded in Tokyo in 2011 by graphic designer Sk8thing, Toby Feltwell and Hishiyama Yutaka. All three had previously worked at A Bathing Ape.