Roll over, Tom Ford. And listen, Sam Mendes. Because there's a new name on the table when the deals are next struck to dress cinema's most unreconstructed male fable. "This is the first time I tried a very tight suit on the body," said Yohji Yamamoto after this show. "Very interesting and challenging. Because if you do not do it seriously, it can only look businessman. But these are not businessmen … 007." To underline the point, team Yamamoto played the 1962 James Bond theme as these looks came out—and the editor of an edgy British style mag was actually heard asking, "What's this song again?" (Shows how much they know.)
The Fleming flimflam was a diverting aside in the entertaining but attention-demanding narrative of the show. Yellow-and-black stripes on combat-pocketed, mega-drop, uber-crotched shorts—pretty much culottes, really—aligned themselves against those on double-vented jackets underslung by nonfunctional braces. These were indications of the overarching theme of the show. "I was playing with caution stripes," said Yamamoto. "Like the caution signs in Army places. The stripe is always strong because it means 'dangerous.'" Also dangerous were the powerfully paintbrushed prints that appeared before the silk/linen Bond aside. Then back to volume, in slate linen, a rich green suit, and a black suit with reduced caution stripes insinuated narrowly and disjointedly at the seams. "I'm for rent," read the cri de coeur on a few illustrated pieces that followed a cameo of crumple. So when he sees a caution line, is Yamamoto moved to cross it regardless—or to turn cautiously back? "I do both," said Yamamoto. Yes he does.
