Takahiro Miyashita—the man behind Takahiromiyashita The Soloist, and former Number (N)ine designer—was in the mood for variety this season. He titled his collection “Alternative Tentacles,” to convey the every-which-way direction, and subsequent pull, of those squiggly arms. What he arrived at was something of a militaristic Western nexus—part Westworld, part Tokyo dandy, part elegant New Age aesthete. And the impression it left was one of thoroughness and sophistication—Miyashita marches to the snappy beat of his own drum (or, drums—the man is a music obsessive), but he sure knows how to edit.
There was an emphasis on detailing. Leather trims, for instance, were left with buttonholes as if to imply they might later be attached to another outer layer. Cashmere and wool were interestingly combined to create a ripstop blend, which was then cut into a rabbit-fur-lined waistcoat. And a pair of subtly opalescent oatmeal gabardine trousers were, for lack of a better word, just plain sick.
There were further accents in more novel territories: a ring with the letters N and Y overlaid, but rendered in the shape of bones. A T-shirt that read I don’t want to be an ADULT today. I don’t even want to be HUMAN. Today, I’m a CAT felt like it could otherwise be seen on an Inauguration Day Facebook status update—and thus, right on the money. In summation: a quality, grabby blend from this oh-so-singular Soloist.
