Beautiful People’s show invitation was a paper pop-up of a rib-cage cutout. A little disconcerting, sure, but designer Hidenori Kumakiri’s unconventional and slightly surreal approach shouldn’t be surprising. In the past he has shrunken outfits to resemble kids’ garments, and his favorite stylistic play is adding or peeling away layers of fabrics in endless shapeshifter games, a metamorphic design process which, even if complex and sometimes frankly puzzling, look as if made by a sweet, irreverent child.
The paper rib cage popping out from the invitation was obviously intended as a metaphor: As the designer explained through a translator, just as the breathing expands the body’s internal space, in the same way, juxtaposed layers of fabric allow expanded possibilities for the wearer to transform a top, a tunic, or a dress into something different. To give an example of this rather arcane concept, a dress made by three layers of mesh tulle with three holes (for the sleeves and for the neck) can be worn by inserting the body between one of the layers and one of the holes of choice, twisting its shape asymmetrically and giving the dress an unexpected life.
Layering being apparently the collection’s mot d'ordre, a layer of meaning was further added to the already convoluted narrative. The designer explained that he wanted to highlight the concept of transformation, presenting 24 looks, as many as the hours of the day, going from night to dawn. The color palette then progressed through 24 gradients, morphing from black to pale, delicate colors.
Kumakiri personally helped a model on stage to modify the lines of a multilayered A-line dress, wearing it in different ways. It would’ve helped the appreciation of the elaborate but clever modifying process if the clothes could’ve been observed up close. The models stormed the catwalk at a quick pace; the dresses looked appealing, with simple but inventive shapes; the mutating game had a sweet feel. Yet perhaps a more intimate format would’ve been more suitable to give the collection the attention it deserved.
