Comfortable and conceptual are rarely uttered in the same breath, but that’s about to change once the wider world looks in on Jun Takahashi’s latest collection. It’s hard to imagine taking any of these pieces off at the end of the day because they were so light and easy.
An unlined, reversible, tailored coat made from cashmere and silk felt as weightless as a cardigan, as did a similar one with a soft puff of crinoline at the waist.
An army-style anorak and a bomber jacket looked as if they’d been assembled from stringy scraps of silk chiffon. They were so light that a single gust of wind might have blown them away. Padded silk jackets and oversize scarves with painterly patterns might well have been stuffed with cumulus clouds.
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The designer once again drew inspiration from the work of French plush artist Anne Valérie Dupond. Takahashi has been dazzled for years by her stuffed creations, which include internal organs, humans and animals.
His fall 2004 “but beautiful…part parasitic, part stuffed” collection was inspired by her work, and it continues to feed his own creativity today. Takahashi, who swapped a runway show for a showroom presentation this season, said this collection also emphasizes “premium materials and comfort, while incorporating the distinctive distorted design elements.”
It was light in substance and in mood. He took the weight out of a black leather jacket by turning it into a cardigan hybrid with mismatched buttons down the front and knitted edges. He gave a boxy navy blue sweater new life by adding fluttery lingerie lace to the hem and a teeny tiny pocket at the front.
For evening, Takahashi knocked the dazzle out of a flowery embroidered jacket by sewing a brown workwear collar and placket inside, and toned down the formality of a black coat by adding just one satin tuxedo-style lapel. It was a collection dedicated to fashion fans who don’t take themselves too seriously.