Yohji Yamamoto was in a dreamy mood, thinking about travelers and exiles as he meandered between centuries, and continents, for this dreamy collection that was filled with all his signature roomy shapes and deconstructed silhouettes.
Yamamoto said he was thinking about “Mitteleuropa,” Eastern Europe and the Middle East, and all their young émigrés over the years.
He worked those thoughts into rich velvet suits in saturated shades of burgundy, blue and green. They were printed with what looked like streaks and splotches of paint, samplings of batik and carpet bag prints. Among the standouts was a long, sweeping coat covered in a dark, flowery jacquard.
Some of these clothes were certainly well-worn. The white pinstripes on black trousers morphed into shaggy strings that dangled from the fabric, while black suits were bound, patched and adorned with strips of bright white fabric, like bandages.
Workwear worked its way into the lineup, too, in the shape of long, soft denim coats, and others that looked like magnified artists’ smocks. Models wore leather gloves, soft, floppy hats and trousers tucked into their leather boots as they hit the road.
There were a few salutes to military style, including black or olive jackets decorated with buttons and skinny straps, and oversized wool check jackets with regimental ribbon details on the pockets.
Who were these time travelers? Whoever they are, they sure know how to dress, and to romance.
