Grunge is back, as proven by none other than Maison MIHARA YASUHIRO whose new collection is a thing of dreams for those who have been waiting ever so patiently for an indie style renaissance. From the nearly sterile feeling runway to the smudged smokey eyes of the models, the brand adapts the aesthetic head on while also debuting something they’ve never done before: faux leather. 

While historically leather has served as the foundation of Maison MIHARA YASUHIRO collections, this time around the brand has tried something new, developing a technique that incorporates a ‘spray dyeing’ effect to mimic the worn-out, vintage look of real leather. And it really works – the outerwear definitely steals the show, appearing perfectly baggy, distressed and effortlessly cool draped on the models. Yet the main focus of the collection comes with the puffer series, creating outerwear that adds an extreme layer of padding within the jacket, inflating them to nearly cartoonish heights. 

But these jackets are not the only exaggerated items in the collection – oversized everything seems to have been the goal, as super oversized silhouettes, accessories and shoes compose nearly every piece of the collection while appearing in muted tones of sage, gray, maroon and black. Exaggerated scarves weigh over the models décolletage and hang down to the floor, wide-leg trousers balloon with each step and the newly introduced PERERSON 23 sneaker features double the thickness of the previous model, resulting in what at first glance looks like a cushion. And yet this is exactly the vibe that Maison MIHARA YASUHIRO was going for. 

No stranger to experimentation, with this collection Maison MIHARA YASUHIRO set out to create a visualization of material, the exaggerated items playing on the concepts of stereotypical authenticity in fashion while also curating a dichotomy between the real and the fake. It is an interesting concept, and while the large dollar bill motifs are a bit too on the nose  – one model wears a shirt composed entirely of the print, a cape of the same print layered over top of it –  the collection is able to set forth a creative take on traditional pieces that are sure to become staples for the brand.