For the first Paris showcase of his eight-year-old Yoke brand, designer Norio Terada hand-shaped hundreds of white ceramic pieces that were intended to help guests experience his work “with their eyes and skin,” he said.
They were a nod to the organic curves and accidental beauty found in the work of artist Jean Arp, the inspiration behind the Tokyo-based brand’s fall collection. But it was also a sign of the meticulous attention he pays to details, drawing on his experience in production.
Exhibit A: a lush coat with a subtle sack back, made from cashmere was sourced in Bishu, an area of Japan’s Aichi prefecture renowned for its wool expertise.
Another example was his idea of repurposing some dozens of leftover fibers – different types of wools, cashmere, cottons, linens and alpaca – made into one yarn and hand-knit into the lushest scarf and sweater. Terada also worked with textile artist Emiko Sato on knit bags.
Elsewhere, the Japanese designer took cues from the artist’s architectural practice. Staples turned sculptural thanks to metal wiring slipped into plackets and hems. Arp’s method of throwing paper on the floor and collaging the result was recreated by randomly creasing checked wool suiting and bonding it onto another wool layer.
Finely executed throughout, the collection made for a quiet but still memorable introduction.
