The best adjective to describe Junichi Abe, the designer behind Japan's relentlessly growing label Kolor, would be subtle. Abe is as subtle an individual as he is in his approach to fashion-making. While other Japanese stalwarts, old-school as well as new-school, lean toward the bold, the extreme, at times even the farcical, Mr. Abe is extremely considered in his choice of colors, shapes, and materials. Which doesn't mean he avoids strong style statements. He just delivers them with remarkable softness. "Balance—that's what is important for me," Abe said backstage after today's show.
With its intricate patterns and decorative geometries in rusty, organic hues, the collection exuded a vague, if persistent, Native American/Western feel. "I wanted to imbue a touch of folk without making things too literal," said Abe. That meant a lot of pattern, blanket tailoring, and a stress on the charmingly tactile. Think a smattering of cutout suede jean pockets applied along the hem of a sturdy coat, or ribbons drawing geometries on a blazer. The nomadic allure was highlighted by the striped shawls and moccasin-hued stitched sneakers. Loose yet controlled, the silhouettes had a pleasingly urban ease, which is another Kolor trademark.
What's charming about the label is, precisely as the name states, the unique variety of colors the clothes come in. Abe has a painterly eye. It's rare to see so much chromatic refinement in contemporary menswear. A coat in a vibrant shade of pumpkin orange might sum it up perfectly: bright and strong, yet—once again—subtle.
