Yosuke Aizawa has been straddling urban fashion and outdoor wear ever since he founded his brand, and his latest offering is particularly representative of the specific time we live in. This season marks the fourth that he has not been able to stage a runway show in Paris due to the pandemic, which also has drastically reduced the amount of time he spends outside of his home country of Japan. Not being able to travel abroad as he did previously, last summer Aizawa renovated a 40-year-old building in the mountain town of Karuizawa to use as an atelier. “The collection represents a link between Tokyo and mountain life,” he said. “It really reflects my own lifestyle.”
Aizawa said his silhouettes have changed a lot in the few years that he has not shown in Paris. His pants, for example, have become more relaxed. “These days I don’t want the shoes to stand out too much — I don’t think the eye should be drawn just to the lower body. I want to emphasize the overall silhouette instead.” To complement the loose-fitting trousers, Aizawa showed long checked ponchos, collarless coats, camp jackets and fishing vests.
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While his palette consisted mainly of muted neutrals, the designer also included deep shades of indigo, orange and ochre, as well as an updated version of his signature red and black checks. For textiles, he focused on functional fabrics with unique properties, such as puffer jackets made from fire resistant nylon, and suit jackets lined in Gore-Tex. “The most important thing this season is that the items are both practical and can be used and look good in different situations,” Aizawa said.