"The 12th issue of Highsnobiety Magazine has arrived. As we move deeper into the digital age, culture feels at once more global and more niche. As much as you hear the latest track from the likes of Pusha T (one of the cover features) or his G.O.O.D. Music contemporaries in the streets and clubs of America, you can travel almost anywhere on Earth and hear the exact same sounds emanating from seemingly distant locales. At the same time, while the web has brought us all closer together, the world is still as big as it is small and fascinating pockets of local culture remain everywhere.

Take our second cover star Chaelin “CL” Lee for example. A household name in South Korea and much of Asia, she’s had huge success in music (as her 3.8 million Instagram followers and hundreds of millions of YouTube video views would suggest), yet has managed to stay outside the scope of the American consciousness for many years. It’s actually exciting to realize that even in the age of limitless global access, there’s still plenty out there to discover.

Last but not least, there’s UNDERCOVER and the inimitable Jun Takahashi. For our third cover feature we caught up with the legendary designer behind the cult Japanese fashion label, who has, for years, successfully drawn from various global music and film references, spinning them into flawless graphic work, covetable apparel and accessories. He’s a true legend of design and one who liberally reworks existing material to amazing effect, transcending both cultures and generations to remain as relevant today as ever.

Issue 12 also includes a look into the genre-bending world of New York’s VFILES, the reimagining of the tracksuit by London’s Cottweiler, and the history of the much-reproduced Marinière — the unmistakable blue-and-white stripes of the French military. Furthermore, we spoke with the designers behind Italy’s LA-obsessed Palm Angels, NY’s dark prince Siki Im, Australian all-around creative Ta-ku, and others to learn more about their how they’re harnessing various influences and inspirations to create exciting new work."