Yohji Yamamoto – odd beauties
No words… just photos… Palais de Tokyo… showtime on invitation was 8:30pm on Friday, 4 March. Actual start time was 8:57pm…. not bad by fashion standards. I was at dinner by 9:35pm.
Yohji’s odd beauties…..
all photos : Douglas Chen
YOHJI YAMAMOTO – true to himself
Yohji Yamamoto managed to dust himself off amidst all his company’s financial woes and show a beautiful collection that was so true to himself. He chose to show at the Lycee Carnot, quickly becoming a fashion venue when all the students have closed their books for the day and gone home. This beautiful high school on boulevard Malesherbes has been the site of many a fashion shows as of late. Although it has a roofed courtyard, the cold was close to unbearable. The YY team provided fleece blankets, in black of course, on every seat to help keep the fashion flock from developing hypothermia.
Mr. Yamamoto presented all things familiar of his world that we have come to appreciate. The beauty lies in its simplicity this season. His classics recut and striving for a sense of purity . The color palette was his serious staple of navy, black and white. As always, there were the most beautiful coats and this season with exposed sculptural seams. He played with volume but in the most controlled way. He, too, was fascinated by the fuller skirt silhouette but again… so in control. The standouts were his strapless dress. He didn’t wander into new or unknown territory but sometimes, that can be appreciated as well.
all photos – DChen
YOHJI YAMAMOTO revisited…..
Since Yohji Yamamoto’s runway show, we’ve been hitting the streets of Paris at a manic pace, traveling from showroom appointment to showroom appointment. Wednesday, the schedule included writing the collections of Commes des Garcons, Junya Watanabe and Mr. Yamamoto. By circumstance, it was Japanese designers day. The headliners of Japan. Scattered throughout the rest of the week, we also had collection writing appointments with Sacai by Chitose Abe, Undercover by Jun Takahashi, Toga by Yasuko Furuta, If Six was Nine. Japanese designers have long held an important presence here in Paris since Mr. Yamamoto and Ms. Kawakubo first forged the way in the 80’s
I had mentioned a long duster coat that so caught me off guard during the Yamamoto runway show that I failed to capture a good photo. There I found it in the showroom…. swaying elegantly on a black metal rack in the middle of the showroom. It’s beauty was silencing. Silk that has been laser cut and distressed to look like lace from afar. It seems as if an army of moths had gathered to eat away at the fabric.
all photos : DChen
This piece is high on my list as one of the top pieces from the spring / summer collections. Delivery in stores February 2010.
PARIS – Yohji Yamamoto
It was 8:30 pm Friday evening and the fashion gang found themselves outside on the streets at 155 rue Saint Martin in front of the Paris showroom of Yohji Yamamoto. Like many designers, the show was taking place in a much more scaled down, intimate locale. The retailers and the press squeezed in through the small entrance only to find themselves faced with the challenge of the very tight seating arrangements. Never one to complain, I happily found my seat and prepared for the 30 minute sit for the show to begin….
all photos-DChen
Mr. Yamamoto gave us a very well edited 32 look show that incorporated all the elements he loves. Beautiful jackets, romantic white shirts, long elegant skirts… the pleasant surprise was the fresh addition of the short skirt and a bit more skin. Nothing vulgar…. never chez Yohji. just a bit more shown at the neck and the shoulder and of course legs, legs, legs. His square cut necklines and off the shoulder looks were sensual but done with restraint. The Yamamoto woman has two faces for s/s 2010… the usual elegantly, cerebral side and a side that is hip, present and ready to roll. The latter was evident in an off the shoulder double breasted jacket worn with a mini and a brief leather motorcycle jacket paired with a side pleated leather mini strode confidently down the runway. The hair and makeup all a slight blur as you would imagine she would look if she had just taken a spin astride a Harley. 
Again, just when you think Mr. Yamamoto has shown you all he could, out floats down the runway a long duster coat which appeared to be laser distressed cut to resemble lace. I didn’t get a great photo of this beautiful creation as I think I was momentarily paralyzed by its beauty. ( center of image below )
This collection broke away from the usual serene, intello and very precise orchestration of Mr. Yamamoto’s usual shows… this one had VERVE. The medley of familiar old songs …rockin’ oldies to old favorites, had the crowd’s mood boosted way beyond the very small confines of 155 rue Saint Martin.
