For Yusuke Takahashi, his mission at CFCL of harnessing machine knitting to develop and industrialize more sustainable clothing remains unchanged.
But that’s not to say there isn’t wisdom to be found in the old textile playbooks, a thought prompted by the bricolage theory of French philosopher Claude Lévi-Strauss, which hinges on using what is on hand — fragments of objects or concepts — and a dash of improvisation to solve problems or create afresh.
“When we established the brand, we only focused on [using] computer programming to [produce] something totally different from handwork,” he said. But over time, it became apparent to him that combining age old and cutting edge would yield better results.
To wit, a dress’ knit program was designed to include 2,000 holes in which segments of knitted ribbon were then slipped to create an opulent fringe. “And you can put it in the washing machine or even change the ribbons,” Takahashi quipped, demonstrating how the elements were assembled.
Elsewhere, it’s textile traditions he’d encountered as a young backpacker that he looked to, such as shaping garments from rectangles of fabrics or techniques like Ikat and tie-dye.
“Rather than building on a specific inspiration from [one] country or region, we exist in a seamless world and are free to connect and create a new era,” he said, reinforcing this idea with Slovenia experimental band Širom performing its “imaginary folk” repertoire live.
Concepts aside, what was on offer continued to mine a breezy but smart aesthetic, rife with easy blousons, roomy tailored trousers, polo dresses and short parkas. There were also unexpected playful moments, such as the multicolored striping on a jacket turning into a neon pinstripe through an optical play with the lighting.
The other fixed point at CFCL was the idea that future-proofing fashion starts with making solid, desirable options for right now.
