Unlikely combinations are the essence of Sacai. One of the most striking looks in this collection was a huge, thick-fringed herringbone poncho over jogging pants, with silver Birkenstocks to anchor the look. Somehow raw and polished at the same time, in the same way that there were any number of other looks that combined a countrified, almost rustic feel, heavy on the texture (and flowerpot hats), with something distinctly sly and urban. The shearlings, for instance. Shearling pants? They'd bring a delightfully goatish feel to city streets. And the trim matching trio of herringbone—jacket, sweater, and long muffler—would grace a sophisticate in town or country. The color palette was accordingly city gray and country earth, with incongruous flashes of bright blue and orange, a typically disorienting Sacai touch. They combined in a plaid duffel, another standout piece.
Unlikely combinations have often meant trompe l'oeil twists in Chitose Abe's collections, but this one actually felt pretty direct, maybe even more grown-up than previously. There was a strong military edge (the leopard spot could have been camo—or plushy pajamas). The guts of the collection were still in Abe's endlessly fascinating fabrics, though: bonding, quilting, fusing, reversed jacquards, wovens that were actually made from boiled jersey. So if there was maybe a little less trompe than usual, l'oeil still felt pleasurably teased.
