As the expert of trompe-l’oeil and proportional play, Mihara Yasuhiro set himself something of a challenge this season — to pay tribute to everyday attire. “Our theme is ordinary people,” he said through an interpreter backstage before the show. “I think people want to be special, or make themselves special, but recently I feel that being ordinary is OK.”
Referencing his early clothing collections of the late ‘90s as well as the preppy styles of labels like Ralph Lauren and A.P.C., which the designer coveted in high school, “I took this challenge of creating regular sized clothing,” he explained.
While the aesthetics of the collection were familiar territory — distressed jerseys, denims, satins and checked flannel in washed out hues — the silhouettes were a departure from the voluminous looks of the past few seasons, at least at face value.
From the front, things looked mostly “normal” indeed, although giant sleeves that hung, scarf-like, from the front of jackets, leaving the arms bare, were a hint of things to come. Highlights in this register included a heavyweight brown leather aviator and an elegant black suit jacket with a narrow stripe, for instance.
What looked to be a pair of regular baggy jeans turned into voluminous cargo pants from the rear. The juxtapositions continued, with elements of denim jackets, plaid shirts, shell-suits and varsity jackets combined to form Yasuhiro’s characteristic incongruous harmonies. “I’ve never been to me,” read the message on the back of a few designs. “Don’t tag me,” said a T-shirt, while fun purses and ankle boots looked to be made from potato chip packets.
The theme extended to the performative aspect of the show. Yasuhiro tapped online sensation Lennie Simo, known for his music made by tapping a pen on a table, to perform live. His showcase, seen in close-up and from above, was the backdrop on a series of giant screens around the venue.
