Jun Takahashi is a fan of jazz — a very big fan, it turns out. His collection for Undercover was an ode to the musical genre, both abstract and literal. From patterns inspired by notes and instruments to actual record covers, he mined the theme in parallel with an ironic spin on classic French chic.
The designer subverted tropes such as pearl chains, here printed on a T-shirt, and Sixties-style tweed jackets, with inside-out constructions that used piping and silk lining as surface elements.
A keyboard-stripe pattern appeared on a pajama-style trouser suit with gold buttons, and on the belts of a couple of cute gavroche outfits feminized with floral printed twinsets. Tiny musical notes formed a delicate pattern on a matching dress, jacket, backpack, hat and socks.
F-holes, the curlicued sound holes cut into the front of string instruments, were a recurring motif, appearing in the red stitching on the back of white jeans or as a decorative detail on sneakers and espadrilles. Tartan skater shorts and baggy cargo pants hit a bum note.
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By the end of the display, Takahashi was flying the flag for his favorite musicians, turning the covers of classic albums — by the likes of Miles Davis, Art Farmer or Sonny Rollins — into blown-up prints on maxiskirts.
But his ultimate homage was reserved for Bill Evans. The finale featured 10 models dressed as clones of the Fifties-era jazz pianist, who made it hip to be square with his nerd glasses and clean-cut suits.