There were no Victorian punk rebels or anime Harajuku girls at Hanako Maeda’s Resort presentation. Those characters were left far behind on ADEAM’s Fall 2017 runway, which ended with a thundering, slightly startling percussion performance. Maeda’s new collection is devoid of weightiness or overstylized looks. It seems as if her current mood is about embracing lightness. Even her reference board was sparse, pinned with only a few images of dancers, a couple of pastel-hued photographs of city basketball courts by artist Ward Roberts, and two swatches of inverted pleated fabric that served as her starting point. Maeda cited the work of Rei Kawakubo, John Cage, and Robert Rauschenberg, but ballerinas and modern dance collectives were definitely the stars of this lineup (she pointed out that she designed costumes for New York City Ballet’s fall gala in 2015).
Thanks to Maeda’s love of dance, flow and movement were among the most compelling elements here. Color also played a major role. Neon-tinged pink, blue, and green pastels made some of the simpler items like sleek bell-bottom trousers and asymmetrical blazers stand out. One of the highlights in terms of silhouette was a multidimensional beige gingham dress with her new pleating, long sleeves, a one-shoulder cut-out, and a sash detail over the bodice. Maeda’s takes on classic trenchcoats were also nice, especially when looking at the quilted paneling down the back.
While a few of the less technical white shirts and neutral-hued knitwear pieces weren’t as interesting, this was a well-edited collection overall. ADEAM seems to be evolving steadily; come fall, the brand will introduce a line of bags and shoes.
