“I want to express the beauty of the contrast between clothes and sculptures.” – Junya Watanabe
Junya Watanabe’s latest collection challenges the conventional boundaries of fashion by redefining it as a form of personal public art. Drawing inspiration from sculpture, Watanabe’s designs create a beautiful contrast between clothes and sculptures, merging conventional garments with abstract, non-ergonomic forms reminiscent of artists like Richard Serra and Alexander Calder.
The collection features ensembles that juxtapose traditional clothing with abstract shapes and structures, blurring the lines between fashion and art. Triangular prisms, intersecting shapes, and knotted clusters of black panelling transform garments into wearable sculptures, challenging the idea of clothing as merely functional.
One of the most striking aspects of the collection is the use of all-black outfits, highlighting the sculptural elements of the designs. Woolen topcoats, knitwear layers, and pants catch the light, creating a dynamic interplay between form and texture. The incorporation of belts and straps adds to the sculptural quality, emphasizing the structural integrity of the garments.
Watanabe also explores the concept of clothing as temporary pavilions at an art biennale, with rose print dresses layered under bikers and topcoats. Armored panels and punk-studded leather shapes further blur the line between fashion and art, challenging viewers to reconsider the nature of clothing and its role in self-expression.
In essence, Watanabe’s collection suggests that fashion is more than just clothing—it is a form of art that can be curated and expressed through personal style. By merging fashion with sculpture, Watanabe invites us to see clothing as a dynamic form of self-expression, where the wearer becomes both the artist and the artwork.
Hair: Eugene Souleiman
Makeup: Isamaya Ffrench
Casting: Nicolas Aksil, Hanna Isaksson
Highlights from the Collection
