Bringing his black-on-black line up back to Paris for the SS24 season, Junya Watanabe garnered an out-of-this-world masculinity that felt ultimately anti-fashion in a totally punk, rather hostile, way. Primary points of contrast came through according to texture, shade and fabrication. In indigo denim with yellow contrast stitching, enveloping abstract coats, waist-length upside down jackets and oversized jeans were creatively unmade and subsequently Frankensteined together. Leather, denim, twill and even faux horsehair fabrications were worked into tessellated calf-length coats which were so hulking, they could have been dresses. There was also a trench coat made from a smorgasbord of fabric belts that was suited to Watanabe’s ever-so-offbeat interpretation of modernity. It wasn’t all inky though; present in occasional places were tawney camel, navy, white and grey, cut and pasted together to from patchwork panelling, while a spattering of lime green crawled across a pair of graphic nylon boxer shorts as teeny alien caricatures read the “Lousy Livin’ Galaxy Newspaper”.
Speaking of Lousy Livin, it was once again a collaboratively rich collection with 19 entirely separate labels cropping up on car coats, racer overalls and baggy, multi-pocket pants. Alongside the underwear retailer, the list included Oakley Factory, New Balance and Mackintosh, as well as Levi’s, MXDVS and Carhartt. These were joined by Brooks Brothers, Bates, Baracuta, Filson, Palace Skateboards, Patta, Stussy, Alpha Industries, Gregory, Reigning Champ and C.P Company.
Watanabe managed to corral so many different spirits into a logical lineup that spoke a single, sartorial language, but while outside contributions were key – even a few artists had their hand at elevating Watanabe’s opus; Scorpions, Pink Floyd, Torre and Vakho Jappari – the offering was actually about linking up with Watanabe’s own womenswear line. The designer explained, “My collection is comprised of many collaborators, however this time I focused on Junya Watanabe (womenswear) as the main collaboration. The idea and the way of my approach in creation of Junya Watanabe is completely different to Man, so they are different brands to me. I wanted to incorporate clothes like Junya Watanabe into Man.”
Photography courtesy of Junya Watanabe.
