Yohji Yamamoto. Menswear Fall 2021.

 

(Images:  Yohji Yamamoto 2021)

After Yohji Yamamoto's terrible misjudgment of holding a grand runway show in Paris in October 2020 just on the cusp of Europe's shocking 2^nd and possibly 3^rd wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, which when looked at objectively was handed so poorly by the leaders of the countries effected, by allowing in simple terms, despite its foolish and emotionally driven fear, of a recessionary economy.  Now the price is being paid by opening up too hard for Spring Summer 2020, allowing masses of people to move around while vaccination trials weren't even half way completed.  When the lockdowns did finally occur late 2020 they were hesitantly put into place.  To which the infection rates and death toll globally has skyrocketed, with an outbreak of what could be three different strains of Covid-19, the current vaccinations may need to be updated.  All the while, the inoculation programs have almost grind to a halt on over hyped promises of the three main pharmaceutical contenders, now that China has infections climbing again, or at least disclosing it while the WHO are there investigating, 2021 will be another year of a persistent viral out breaks.  Yamamoto, for his Spring 2021 collection, like some other fashion designers and organizers did show an irresponsibility that the all clear was somewhat ok'ed after the 1^st lock down throughout Europe.   With foolishness, arrogance or just a lack of clear thinking, it was hard to dismiss Yamamoto for overdoing his last Paris runway show, my full review can be seen here:   Yohji Yamamoto. Spring 2021 RTW - Paris 

To what ever amends has been sort, Yamamoto, who is undoubtedly  a master designer, has returned with a collection of redemption that is more in tune with the dynamism and seriousness of this global pandemic, holding it as a digital only affair, referring to his Fall 2021 collection “A statement about today's world.”   It is also a return to the more extreme of Avant-garde fashion, that from the 2000s, the twenty years of gothic, artisan styles have had a renaissance of late, which was seen as one of the main trends of 2020.   Yamamoto is of course an old hand at the looks presented, to which many have imitated over the years, so his return of  sharper asymmetrical cuts, distressed fabrics and picked out stitching is more akin to Yamamoto's early manifestations of the signature label.  His rustic futurist styles have held true through the decades, in which Yamamoto has issued a decree to the younger designers who maybe are at awe of his latest collection, that he was one of the pioneers of the look that he and other Japanese designers formulated over thirty years ago.

His Fall 2021 Menswear collection has its completed dystopian esque feel, utilizing rugged synthetics to complement is draped ensembles of fine cotton and wool blends and it is these synthetic materials that are notoriously hard to meld, Yamamoto aware of this has layered these styles more as boxy style jackets of insulation and protection.   So,  Yamamoto's urban, broken city look has returned, but with more of a tough and resilient inception, but crafted so beautifully.  The fits are outstanding, the baggy weather beaten, but not defeated styles of trousers, shirts and blazers, holds an appealing aspect to the formal look, layered within its unique stylizations.  Yamamoto has, appropriately, fitted masks onto most of the male models, so everything has been contemporary tuned for this collection in elements of precision, as society that we are all part of in some shape, form or another is changing and has changed in a very decisive manner.  A micro entity has set this off and we didn't see it coming, sans the idealism of preparation of change – seldom is it ever actioned till the eleventh hour.

An incredible collection from the aging master.
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(A.Glass 2021)