March 25, 2024
By Jee Young Park
At MIDWEST Tokyo Keisuke Yoshida’s cape trench coat is located in the men’s section but it doesn’t matter, I tried it on, and...how should I put this? Well, there is nothing to say. I looked like I was wearing a KEISUKEYOSHIDA trench coat, instantly recognizable on the streets of Tokyo and amongst certain digital enclaves. I knew because I had proof of this from moments prior, when someone had uttered his name, identifying the designer of the pea coat I had on. Damn, it must feel good to have achieved this level of success.
Yet Yoshida had been haunted by failure in the form of a recurring dream, we found out later in his show notes. In this dream, he flunks a year of college and he invited us to an immersive show on-site at Rikkyo University, to present his A/W ‘24 collection. The result appeared to be the most complete version of his universe to date.
An austere palette formed the foundation of his looks while crimson and purple-- used to punctuate the consciousness during times of repentance, grief, and celebration in the Christian calendar-- connected the collection to his more transgressive use of color in the past. They were purer in their expression here, falling on choir robes and cassocks as they would in real life.
Much of the collection was an ode to the beauty of uniforms and the modifications we make in rebellion or out of necessity in everyday life. For example, the waistlines of pleated skirts revealed the inner lining as if folded over. The same detail appeared in the first look on a pair of dress shorts (a clever extension) and in more mature stylings where the lining matched the color of the blouse.
Also appearing in the opening look, a dress shirt collar detached from the seam halfway, panned out and draped onto the side of the shoulder like a stole worn by a priest, revealing the necktie on one side as if in a state of undress. The same detail was later shown on a blouse, the stole end wrapped around the neck like a scarf.
Yoshida did not shy away from grade school uniforms or more matronly inspirations either, incorporating them more subtly with the Rikkyo Primary School student cap, more fashionably by proposing traditional Japanese student backpacks as sturdy briefcases, or more charmingly as scout uniforms.
As for the “melancholic young man,” Yoshida carved out a place for him with deftly tailored overcoats and jackets, impressively in look 31 and with knit scarves in collaboration with Koda Yo of fluss.
There was a lot to excavate from the 16 years of memories at school and Yoshida showed everyone none of those years was spent in vain.
For fans, this was a triumphant moment they shared with the designer, celebrating a familiar narrative and creations they’ve cherished since he launched KEISUKEYOSHIDA in 2015.
Photo credit: Courtesy of KEISUKEYOSHIDA
We recommend viewing the runway show on FASHIONSNAP.COM’s YouTube page.
By Jee Young Park
At MIDWEST Tokyo Keisuke Yoshida’s cape trench coat is located in the men’s section but it doesn’t matter, I tried it on, and...how should I put this? Well, there is nothing to say. I looked like I was wearing a KEISUKEYOSHIDA trench coat, instantly recognizable on the streets of Tokyo and amongst certain digital enclaves. I knew because I had proof of this from moments prior, when someone had uttered his name, identifying the designer of the pea coat I had on. Damn, it must feel good to have achieved this level of success.
Yet Yoshida had been haunted by failure in the form of a recurring dream, we found out later in his show notes. In this dream, he flunks a year of college and he invited us to an immersive show on-site at Rikkyo University, to present his A/W ‘24 collection. The result appeared to be the most complete version of his universe to date.
An austere palette formed the foundation of his looks while crimson and purple-- used to punctuate the consciousness during times of repentance, grief, and celebration in the Christian calendar-- connected the collection to his more transgressive use of color in the past. They were purer in their expression here, falling on choir robes and cassocks as they would in real life.
Much of the collection was an ode to the beauty of uniforms and the modifications we make in rebellion or out of necessity in everyday life. For example, the waistlines of pleated skirts revealed the inner lining as if folded over. The same detail appeared in the first look on a pair of dress shorts (a clever extension) and in more mature stylings where the lining matched the color of the blouse.
Also appearing in the opening look, a dress shirt collar detached from the seam halfway, panned out and draped onto the side of the shoulder like a stole worn by a priest, revealing the necktie on one side as if in a state of undress. The same detail was later shown on a blouse, the stole end wrapped around the neck like a scarf.
Yoshida did not shy away from grade school uniforms or more matronly inspirations either, incorporating them more subtly with the Rikkyo Primary School student cap, more fashionably by proposing traditional Japanese student backpacks as sturdy briefcases, or more charmingly as scout uniforms.
As for the “melancholic young man,” Yoshida carved out a place for him with deftly tailored overcoats and jackets, impressively in look 31 and with knit scarves in collaboration with Koda Yo of fluss.
There was a lot to excavate from the 16 years of memories at school and Yoshida showed everyone none of those years was spent in vain.
For fans, this was a triumphant moment they shared with the designer, celebrating a familiar narrative and creations they’ve cherished since he launched KEISUKEYOSHIDA in 2015.
Photo credit: Courtesy of KEISUKEYOSHIDA
We recommend viewing the runway show on FASHIONSNAP.COM’s YouTube page.