Junya Watanabe’s Spring/Summer 2026 women’s show in Paris reminded us of the power of black, not as uniform but as form. The darker looks, presented toward the end of the show, revealed his sensibility toward precision and transformation, where construction became the main narrative.
Black dresses and sculptural pieces exposed the mechanics of design, while others were wrapped in sheer black hosiery that stretched and distorted the silhouette until fabric and body merged into one continuous line. The result felt at once engineered and fragile, a dialogue between restraint and movement.
Within this monochrome sequence, texture replaced color. Matte cotton contrasted with lacquered nylon, soft netting hovered over rigid forms, and flashes of metal and even glass appeared as quiet punctuation. These garments distilled Watanabe’s approach to its essence, an exploration of how black can shift from color into architectural form, from material to idea.
Highlights from the Collection
