October 2, 2017 |
In a continuation of sportswear and sportswear gestures, Sacai designer and former studio ace at Comme des Garçons and Junya Watanabe, Chitose Abe, has cemented herself as one of the top tier designers at Paris Fashion Week. The gestural effect of wrapping a sports cagoule around the waist, which, in turn, became the piece itself, is something Abe has toyed with in the past but now felt far more confident and “up”, and in truth far surpassed her other shows. And other shows.
The glut of ideas tightly packed into one collection was, at times, overwhelming – “too much to take in – in a good way” said a magazine editor. She meant the heritage jacket (no specified House) attached and wrapped around the bust line as if casually tied as a man would tie his cagoule. It was beautiful and complex. Incorporating various garments in one is the undercurrent in many of the collections in Paris this week.
There’s incorporation of another kind, too. Off-cuts like discrete treasures from the studio fabric bin, were seemingly gathered up and restitched into various blouses (lace) and fishtail skirts (check and velvet) and coats (tech meets wool). The absolute best were two – possibly more – dresses and perhaps a top – these things walk by so fast – which pulled together all manner of swirling florals in plissé with undulating hems. They had the dynamism and colour control of Kenzo Takada at his very best. What a show.
Photographs by Jason Lloyd Evans
