PARIS, Jun 30, 2006/ FW/ --- The gritty voice of Johnny Cash provided the soundtrack to the Number (N)ine show and the morose low key tone was one that would be familiar to any country singer. Tabakiro Miyashita is a designer who likes to base his collections on characters from the world of music and with this show, the procession of gaunt, washed-out models glumly filing past, it was impossible not to speculate that Kurt Cobain was the object of the designer’s attention this time out.

Their were certainly aspects of the show – most notably the repetitive use of plaid – that made one think of the Seattle grunge look of which Nirvana was part, but the overall effect was more of a falorne cowboy traipsing through the desert than anything else.

So cowboy chic it was as models came out sporting floppy felt stetsons, suede boots and Lone Rangers riding coats. The rosary beads and black and white cravats may have been borrowed from the lexicon of rocker dressing but here it was easier to imagine pulling them up over the mouth and riding off into the sunset. Elsewhere tight cords in a faded mustard color continued in this vein with their jodhpur style patches while sun bleached denims evoked a life in the saddle.

A Prince of Wales check caped riding coat was particularly fetching with its black and white musical score lining and a pale suede biker jacket hit the right notes when combined with a low-slung ammunition belt. Even a theoretically smart tuxedo shirt had a dishevelled air to it with the sleeve ties hanging loosely. Even cowboys get the blues but that’s not to say that there isn’t a certain style to it.

Number (N)ine

Number (N)ine

Number (N)ine

Number (N)ine