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Yohji Yamamoto: Is It Couture? Not Sure -- But It's Dazzling
By: Godfrey Deeny
Photos by Gruber-FWD
Paris, Jul 9, 2002/ FWD/ --- In a novel fashion moment, Yohji Yamamoto opened the Paris
haute couture season with a poetic presentation of an occasionally spectacular spring/summer
ready-to-wear collection.
The show marked the first time a Paris couture week was debuted by a ready-to-wear collection,
even if Yamamoto was not listed on the official French couture calendar.
Even a highly skilled talent could have easily slipped up in attempting to square off a
ready-to-wear collection against the sophistication and craftsmanship of couture.
Not Yamamoto, whose sense of proportion, innovative cutting and cool sensibility gave the
show a unique feeling, and doubly so because of its setting -- inside the Palais Garnier,
France’s first home of opera.
"I had to show here," Yohji told FWD after the show. "I needed the conflict between myself
and here," he added, referring to the juxtaposition between his own minimalist mode and
the ornate splendor of the Paris Opera.
The importance of the occasion was underlined by the number of designers who showed up --
Marc Jacobs, Kenzo Takada, Martine Sitbon, Veronique Nichanian, and Azzedine Alaia, the host
of a post-show party to celebrate the launch of Yamamoto’s book "Talking to Myself."
Yamamoto’s looks this season had their well-spring in the ‘40s, with hairstyles that harked
back to the Second World War and an opening trio of jumpsuits that managed to be both military
yet melodious.
Made in his signature deep blue, the trio contained many of his best inventions -- delicate
veiled panels, novel placement of straps and a clever trick of creating flowers by ruching
up the fabric.
Frequently single outfits were combinations of several garments -- an elongated jacket that
was a dress, or a battleship gray formal man’s shirt with countless ruffles, lengthened to
dress size.
Though largely mono-color, there was the occasional dramatic graphic moment, such as two
long sheaths with remarkable printed images of blown-up frogs, insects and fish.
After perhaps a few too many black pant suits, things got spectacular with safari jackets
that morphed into dresses or long robes, a wonderful series of dresses with body sheaths and
two novel robes held up by chains of fake bones.
Yohji’s decision to stage his spring/summer 2003 collection during the couture season provoked
a great deal of comment, and inevitably his show will be compared to everything else we’ll see
this week.
Opinions, albeit highly favorable, were divided on this.
"I thought it was beautiful. I felt it was right at home with the couture," commented Kal
Ruttenstein, Bloomingdale’s legendary fashion director.
While Yohji’s fellow Japanese, Kenzo, argued: "You can’t really say it is couture. But it was
so elegant -- perfect really."
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