There was a hiker meets wild west moment at Sacai this morning. Sporty quilted outerwear had a suede yoke across the chest, like a cowboy’s shirt, anoraks, in brilliant blue, fell away into tassels. There were plaids and checks, Navajo-style prints, shoes in collaboration with Hender Scheme, described on the release as a “deconstructed hybrid of two cowboy boot archetypes.” Really though, this was only one part of this collection. It’s impossible to sum up Chitose Abe’s work into a singular theme because as we’ve said once, and we’ll probably say many many times again, the designer is queen of the mash-up. It’s this impressive way she brings disparate elements together into a collection that feels whole.
Generous proportions and sportswear shapes abound – roomy t-shirts were emblazoned with the words of Frederik Weiner, worn with matching wide-leg shorts. Anoraks, in brilliant colours, that criss-crossed the body, or perfect boucle polo shirts, worn with backpacks. Something feminine to the women’s offering this season, too (this was also a presentation of the their pre-collection) – girlish pleated gowns were fastened with technical straps, or dresses that fell down off the shoulder and into puffs at the sleeves. Femininity was played with too in the men’s collection with sheer t-shirts, stitched with flowers, or shirting edged with velvet. It sounds a lot, and it was, but together it works. That’s Chitose’s genius. And why we like to see a Sacai show as a walking shopping list. We’re off to have a lie down and contemplate our Spring wardrobe.
