The photographer Cindy Sherman is no stranger to transformation, using wigs, costumes, makeup and props to change herself into different characters.
This season Jun Takahashi, who in the past has drawn inspiration from the TV show “Twin Peaks” and the work of French plush artist Anne-Valerie Dupond, matched Sherman’s game, transforming her distinctive – and often jarring – self-portraits into prints and jacquard patches on outerwear, lace-up shoes, and even sneakers.
How he must have loved turning Sherman’s cigarette-smoking tough gal portraits into elbow patches on dark tailored jackets or chunky sweaters in rich red or cinnamon, or plastering silk shirts, sweatshirts and puffers with her image as a windswept bleach blonde.
Some of the pieces were transformable, such as an oversized zippered knit with detachable sleeves and hood, while others had multiple layers of interest. It was hard to tell whether a long featherweight cashmere design with a zip down the front was a coat, a sweater or a comfort blanket, while big double-sided cashmere/silk scarves – some adorned with Cindy Sherman patches – doubled as shawls.
The mood this season was quiet luxury – which is still going strong after all these years post-COVID-19 – but Takahashi showed that quiet doesn’t have to mean classic or banal. Sometimes it can even have a sense of humor.
