Spring summer 2012 is now in full effect or shall I say Yohji is now landing in a few stores. It was only a few months ago that we were conversing about this collection over the live show updates on ‘Nowness’. I will have to say, the runway swagger of Yohji Yamamoto is second to none as Yohji transforms a diverse register of models into samurai warriors. I’m talking – the european models in the show looked like ninjas! This called to mind a passage in his book ‘My dear bomb’ where he states that his work is a reminder or sort of a portal to ones childhood past. The connection for me is a bit cliché but I am a big samurai film fan with one of my favorites being Zatoichi, a film about a Yakuza gang war and a blind swordsman go and watch it.
For me everything in this collection was to like, a few fashionistas have said it was quite repetitive but I say otherwise. Yohji to me is layers and width. The baggy relaxed comfy look is what signifies Yohji’s style. He has mastered comfort and utility through a vast knowledge and experience with fabrics combined with technicality.
To conclude, I will say Yohji continues to transform my view on fashion through the following of Japanese aesthetic of skirt-like pants, jumbo pleated pants and off-course the signature black skirt and white shirt towards the end all things that may not necessarily be new under the sun but definitely reincarnated in the name of Yohji.
