The Business of Fashion
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
PARIS, France — Attending a Yohji Yamoto show is a slightly surreal experience.
The Japanese maestro is a consistent creator: his love for black is enduring; his way with deconstruction is seemingly endless; his proclivity for vertical, sculptural shapes is adamant.
As a result, it's quite difficult to tell one collection from another, as the action on the catwalk can get a bit formulaic. The flood of black, in fact, is regularly lit by sudden dashes of red and hints of white. A sense of deja-vu ensues.
Yet, once you have digested and processed it all, you start noticing the little differences, the progresses and the retours. It happened again today. Yamamoto took over the rather grand spaces of the Salon d'honneur in the Grand Palais, and Yohji-fied them with scaffolding and black carpeting.
Clothes-wise, shapes were fluid, with frayed edges and cutaways giving glimpses of the body. This, for instance, was a welcome frisson of sensuality. The show progressed from strictness and rigour to artistic chaos, edging with crafty, handpainted gowns that looked like coats draped around the body in some impromptu way. Those felt lively, and took away the deja-vu feel.
From where aspirational customers are spending to Kering’s challenges and Richemont’s fashion revival, BoF’s editor-in-chief shares key takeaways from conversations with industry insiders in London, Milan and Paris.
BoF editor-at-large Tim Blanks and Imran Amed, BoF founder and editor-in-chief, look back at the key moments of fashion month, from Seán McGirr’s debut at Alexander McQueen to Chemena Kamali’s first collection for Chloé.
Anthony Vaccarello staged a surprise show to launch a collection of gorgeously languid men’s tailoring, writes Tim Blanks.
BoF’s editors pick the best shows of the Autumn/Winter 2024 season.