Reita (the GazettE) legacy preserved in his accessories designs “SNAKEDLOWS”

It still feels surreal that our beloved bassist, Reita of the GazettE, departed from this world earlier this year. We find comfort in knowing that his bandmates continue to honor his memory on stage, leaving his amplifier in place and an open space, as if he were still physically there with them. Besides Reita living on spiritually, and through his music, we wanted to also celebrate his legacy as a designer under the brand “SNAKEDLOWS”.

To deepen our insights into Reita’s work, we visited one of the physical stores where SNAKEDLOWS accessories are sold, to document the experience and speak with the store manager.

The clothing and accessories brand SNAKEDLOWS was founded in 2008 as a collaboration between Reita, who primarily oversees the design, and Satoshi Yamashita, the director and designer at DEAL DESIGN, who handles the production. As such, the store we visited wasn’t a dedicated SNAKEDLOWS store, but rather a DEAL DESIGN one.

A large section was clearly dedicated to showcasing Reita’s SNAKEDLOWS work, with the accessories in the open display case—kindly opened for us by the store manager—representing just a part of his designs. There are many more items, including clothing and other creations, that aren’t on display here.

DEAL DESIGN is a brand centered around rock-oriented aesthetics, so you will see their name pop up in both the Japanese rock scene, and the visual kei scene, with close collaborations with many well-known artists.

The friendly and hilarious store manager at DEAL DESIGN explained that the name “SNAKEDLOWS” is an amalgamation of “SNAKE” and “NAKED”.

“SNAKE” represents the idea of being persistent and never giving up, while “NAKED” reflects the desire to improve oneself even without wearing accessories. This concept, we believe, perfectly captures Reita’s spirit.

As for “LOWS”, it represents something that rises from the bottom, like a snake. On DEAL DESIGN’s website, we also found out that “LOWS” symbolizes Reita’s role as the bassist, referring to the deep, low sounds produced by the bass instrument.

The store manager further explained that the inspiration for incorporating snakes into the designs stemmed from Reita’s fascination with them. This influence can especially be seen in his first collaborative line-up, which the bracelet, shown below, was part of.

It might be difficult to see in detail, but the circular links between each charm features a snake-skin texture. The “S”-symbol, naturally, is designed with curves that resemble the slithering shape of a snake, while there are snakes running through the iron crosses too.

Speaking of crosses, Reita was also fond of them, making crosses a recurring theme in his designs.

Over time, Reita began incorporating the star shape more frequently, leading to star-shaped necklaces and piercings, as well as bracelets and rings featuring star motifs, among other items.

A closer look at the black bracelet reveals a star on the silver beads.

Unfortunately, Reita didn’t have the chance to create new recent designs before his passing, but as you can see, DEAL DESIGN thankfully continues to offer his amazing work.

If you’re interested in owning a piece of his legacy, you can visit one of the physical stores, or shop online on SNAKEDLOWS or DEAL DESIGN, both of which offer worldwide shipping.

Reita’s legacy will undoubtedly live on through his spiritual presence, music, and memories, but we felt it was worth highlighting his work as a designer as well, and we truly hope this side of him will continue to inspire and captivate current and future fans!

A special thanks to the kind behind-the-scenes store manager who showed us around and shared their insights! In case you want to visit this exact store, the address is:

DEAL DESIGN Shinjuku Marui Men Store
(DEAL DESIGN 新宿マルイ メン店)
5-16-4 Shinjuku, Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo
Shinjuku Marui Men, 8th Floor
Opening hours: 11:00 – 21:00

Currently, DEAL DESIGN is promoting their autumn and winter collection “Fadeless Never”, click here to view the collection.