Yohji Yamamoto Unveils a Shroud of Enigma for FW19

Yamamoto welcomes a spirit of renewal with his Fall collection.

Yohji Yamamoto remains as one of the last masterful forces in fashion following the loss of fellow creatives Karl Lagerfeld and Azzedine Alaia. Contrary to the sorrowful image that can be evoked through his creations, Yamamoto wished to embrace his trade with an optimistically fresh perspective for his newest collection.

The occasional color appeared through hand-painted designs in a freehand style that seemed to be used as an abstract method to portray light and space, and reflect the creator’s mental state and emotions.

Even so, the pieces remained black, draped, and fringed in Yamamoto’s signature style. Intentionally imperfect white topstitching traveled along the edges of black coats that blanketed entire bodies. Felt hands surfaced from surprising locations, and some had the middle finger extending into the air.

The show closed with a group of models sheathed in black fabric, evoking the enigmatic presence of the tapada limeña who welcomed freedom through a single eye opening in their attire. One model lifted a skirt-turned-veil covering that revealed a Victorian styled bodice and her red-lipped face underneath. This presentation was a historically political reference to the 17th century Spanish women who enticed men by covering their entire bodies minus a single eye in attire named saya y manto.

For this season, Yamamoto’s mysterious explorations of seduction appeared in such a form. It literally demonstrated his layered garments’ flexibility and fluidity, and how wearers can shift them accordingly to fit their purposes. The wrapped and draped pieces adopted bare forms that were just enough to fulfill the purpose of clothing.

The finale’s makeup contrasted the somber look that had dominated the rest of the show, hinting towards a careful rehearsal that had been planned to surprise the audience. Take a browse through the gallery to witness the preparation unfold.

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