Kazuhiro Watanabe is a 40-year old fashion designer who says he’s railing against conformity, specifically that which is encouraged in Japan, which is where he’s from and is known for its love of culture and tradition. In order to give conformity the finger, he’s using his gigantic mohawk, which stands at almost four feet tall when he spikes it up.

“It’s all about how you feel yourself, not what others think, that’s the good thing about mohawks,” he said recently.

Watanabe was in New York to promote the latest edition of the Guinness Book Of World Records, which he’s been in since last year for his astounding ‘hawk. The hairstyle has been fifteen years in the making. Of course, my favorite mohawk will always belong to Travis Bickle, but Watanabe gets cool points for saying Damn The Man.

Image: Guinness