We all got rid of something with Coronavirus – a fake friendship, an obsession, a bad habit, maybe even a wrong relationship.
In an email sent from Tokyo, Rei Kawakubo highlighted how the theme for her new collection was not a conventional one, but it was more like a mood, it was indeed her present state of mind.
The designer then proceeded to highlight all the things she doesn't need these days: "The making of intricate fabric; the use of complicated colors; patterns which clearly define the body; details which emphasize the clothes; the intention to make clothes. What remains after getting rid of these things is the strongest thing. Like simple pebbles that you get after rough rocks have been washed over and swept down the river."
After such as statement you may have expected to see something more minimal and less voluminous for the S/S 22 collection, showcased with a presentation held in her company’s offices in Tokyo, but Kawakubo defies predictions.
And so, a bulbous construction with outsized prints of bows and polka dots opened the show. Gigantic sleeves seemed to protrude from the front and the back, revealing it was maybe a massive T-shirt.
After a couple of black and white printed dresses came another massive number, a black dress built like a flower patchworked from rectangles of shiny and matte fabrics.
Neon yellow bows, pink flowers and green leaves then appeared on a black background, followed by a grand gown worthy of a gothic Marie Antoinette with a massive bow forming the upper part of the dress.
The best ideas were put into practice, though, in less voluminous pieces like a cape made with a black fabric reminiscent of trashbags (or were those actual trashbags?) covered in padded bows (the same technique returned in a colourful gown covered with black padded three-dimensional black flowers), or the asymmetrical dress made with yards and yards of tulle simply arranged in oversized knots (something you may want to try at home and not just for Halloween, as that's an easy trick with great potential).
More tulle bows in black and white followed till the last number, a dress shaped like a chair, the pleated skirt forming the base of the chair.
The effect was surreal and gave the impression the model had been stitched inside an upholstered armchair (a feeling some of us may have developed during the long lockdown weeks when we turned into rather sad mythological creatures, half human, half office chair/desk…).
Was there a deeper symbolism behind any of these pieces, behind these huge walking sculptures matched with plastic wigs by set designer and illustrator Gary Card? Probably not.
There was indeed no ominous message by Kawakubo behind the designs, maybe, she was just avoiding to make any statement at all or to be too conceptual. After all, at times you just need to enjoy the moment, get rid of superfluous things and thoughts and savour a slow yet relentless return to normality, possibly in a grand dress covered in trashbag flowers.
