Sacai closes out Paris Fashion Week with a clash of punk, workwear and inventive silhouettes
PARIS (AP) — The sweltering Paris heatwave, which left exhausted fashionistas nearly baked in the leafy courtyard of an esteemed Sorbonne University campus, met its stylish adversary: Sacai’s men’s spring fashion show. The biting Parisian heat was momentarily forgotten as attendees, holding eco-water for relief, were sucked into Sacai’s final display for this season’s Paris Fashion Week.
This year, designer and founder Chitose Abe ventured into Sacai’s signature codes while drawing on the spirit of the 1970s punk movement, a cultural emblem of resistance in a world in flux. The result was a creative dialogue between fashion’s past and future, between rebellion and uniformity.
Here are some highlights from Sunday’s Spring-Summer 2024 collections:
SACAI MIXES IT
Abe’s exploration of uniformity emerged in a head-to-toe approach, matching jackets, shirts and trousers in pinstripe, denim or floral print, demonstrating the designer’s skill in reinventing traditional fabrics into a unified look.
Classic suits were “hybridized,” as the house called it, when Abe mixed denim with suit fabrics and spliced floral print with 1940s French workwear-inspired moleskin. Cut-and-sew techniques allowed these prints to live again as appliqué details. It was a fantastic gesture.
The experiment with traditional suit fabrics, from pinstripe and tweed to cotton gabardine, was given a twist with folded pleats. This allowed Abe to surreally scale down proportions and create innovative silhouettes, visible in lavish peplums, pants and skirts, and intricate pleats in knitwear.
She continued to redefine the known. Abe embraced a fun “inside out” idea, flipping common clothing styles for a new perspective. In particular, a sleeveless trench was restructured, the fabric was cut and condensed for a slimmer shape.
The collection culminated in a refreshingly hopeful statement: “Know Future.” This statement, a playful reinterpretation of punk’s infamous statement, anchored Sacai’s collection in an optimistic expectation of a better world to come – even though the world around us now seems bleak.
Sacai’s show was the grand finale of Paris Fashion Week, a testament to Abe’s ability to captivate critics and audiences alike. As the sun set in Paris, Sacai’s spring fashion show for men offered a daring, hopeful end to a week marked by style and creativity.
WOOOYOUNGMI: SENSUALITY MEETS STREET
Wooyoungmi’s Sunday show during Paris Fashion Week was a fusion of funk and sex appeal. The brand’s craftsmanship was reflected in the sophisticated collection presented to the public, who humorously received pearly white silk sleeping masks to cap off an intense week.
The collection showcased Wooyoungmi’s mastery of fabric manipulation and fit. Each piece, from oversized sheer camisoles with teasing ruffles to the mother-of-pearl silk shorts, was cut to perfection, expertly tailored to create a visual spectacle while maintaining a sophisticated look. Every stitch and seam showed Wooyoungmi’s attention to detail.
The craftsmanship of the South Korean brand was not only evident in the sensual pieces, but also in the streetwear elements. A seemingly casual baseball cap was carefully paired with baggy jeans and a transparent, oversized basketball jersey – a composition that celebrated both the structure of sportswear and the sensual vibe of the collection. The elements came together to form an intriguingly athletic yet sensual silhouette, which showcased Wooyoungmi’s design talent.
But it was perhaps the billowy, shiny cargo pants that best illustrated Wooyoungmi’s craftsmanship. The one-of-a-kind piece featured voluminous ruffles at the bottom, creating an imaginative, timeless design that somehow seemed both historic and futuristic.
BED JW FORD UNVEILS SUMMER COLLECTION WITH A TWIST
On a sunny Sunday in Paris, Shinpei Yamagishi’s label, BED jw FORD, debuted its latest collection with a fashion-forward summer flair. This show clearly continued Yamagishi’s signature approach of combining personal nostalgia with a decidedly contemporary outlook.
The collection was rich in funky striped baggy shorts, loose white cotton cardigans and straw colored hats, a nod to the relaxed essence of summer. Once the master of juxtaposition, however, Yamagishi subtly disrupted this airy feel with elements of urban wear such as clunky city loafers and oversized suede boots adorned with zippers.
The collection transitioned smoothly into a series of loose suits that managed to walk the line between relaxed and sophisticated. A standout piece was Yamagishi’s take on the blue work trousers with a utilitarian zip horizontally across the crotch, striking a balance between functional and trendy.
True to BED jw FORD’s preference for gender fluid fashion, the collection introduced gold animal print skirt shorts, intriguingly paired under a women’s soft black jacket with a chain hem. This playful mix of feminine and masculine elements emphasized Yamagishi’s skillful design ethos and reaffirmed the brand’s status as a forward-thinking player.
