While all the 10-year-old Sephora Kids, as members of Generation Alpha have been coined, are worrying about getting anti-aging products into their skincare routine, 80-year-old designer Yohji Yamamoto is urging everyone to not speed through life. Yamamoto’s POUR HOMME Autumn/Winter 2024 collection focuses on basking in human nature—rather than running from it. The collection ignores the trend cycles beckoning at every designer’s door, the inspiration pulling from points through the designer’s life. 

Born during WWII, the designer recalls the “darkness” from those days—that same darkness is reflected throughout the collection. Deep blues, blacks, and grays hold up the collection, while sporadic bursts of vibrant colors punctuate the narrative. Select overcoats within the collection bear the imagery of youthful women, seemingly painted onto the fabric—perhaps, there lies an attempt to encapsulate and preserve the fleeting essence of youth.

Renowned for his mastery of layering, Yamamoto once again showcases his artistry by skillfully revealing each of the many individual layers without overwhelming the models. Intentionality resonates in every piece with tailoring making bold statements through oversized overcoats, blazers, and overall skirts.

Straps cascade off of some of the models bodies, while others bear nonsensical yet intriguing statements embroidered onto garments such as, “YoYo loves black. Is your underwear black? Is it transparent?,” “Tale of the Unexpected,” and “YoYo Sale,” complete with uncut strings—signifying unfinished thoughts.

Rather than evoking a sense of nostalgia, the collection offers a pause in time—a moment suspended in the recesses of Yohji Yamamoto’s mind.