Constructivism, Art Deco and hints of retro-futurism — Junya Watanabe worked all three with energy and impact for spring.
The disc shape was the core of the lineup, rendered in patent, metallic and transparent materials, which he cut together for exuberant tops and dresses, some with space-age charm. Some of this circular pattern play led to more abstract motifs, which, whether intended or not, hinted at the work of Wassily Kandinsky.
Watanabe almost always has a take on the motorcycle jacket. Here, he worked it as a trompe l’oeil for T-shirts, including the style reworked with exaggerated patent cap sleeves. Shown with a black leather skirt appliquéd with two large shiny dots, the look was whimsical and interesting in the most positive sense.
The helmetlike plastic headwear — rounded like a crown, Mohawk-ed and more — and potent red lipstick added to the effect. These models gave off a vibrant, but fierce attitude, as if they were going to work in a Technicolor version of Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis.”