From A Dark Place
Yohji Yamamoto, and daughter, Limi Feu
Yohji Yamamoto has been hitting the PR circuit hard these days - interviews, books, exhibitions and even another documentary (sorry, but the Wim Wenders film was the apex). With such a sudden abundance of all things Yohji, it is all too easy to forget that just two years ago his situation was bleak. His health was poor, his company was moving into bankruptcy, and the future of his various labels, let alone his own, was uncertain to say the least. However, just as soon, a new financial partner stepped in and Yohji signed a new twenty year contract. It is doubtful he will even complete the twenty years, but then again he does write that he would like to pass away without fanfare whilst working.
Fashion is by its nature a tumultuous and unpredictable industry, and so when for the Spring/Summer 2010 collections it was announced that Yohji Yamamoto had fallen victim to the recession, meaning that a catwalk presentation was not to take place, things looked bad but not lost. What we saw was a classic and commercial collection, but also perhaps a glimpse into a future where Yohji is no longer at the helm of the YYPH label. When it comes to the Parisian collections, Yohji makes creative decisions alone, the artist working his craft. However when it comes to the Japanese collections, Yohji is surrounded by his team, the master and his pupils - teaching and demonstrating. Perhaps it was that team that stepped in to help create and finish this collection.
Any great designer needs a great team, because although Yohji is one of the few from his generation that still works on his knees hemming dresses and helping to draft patterns, with a company as large as Yohji Yamamoto, it is impossible to do it alone. Indeed what many suspected of the Spring/Summer 2010 collection was that Yohji had taken a back seat, as his team had worked around him to produce to the collection. What we saw were classic Yohji silhouettes, executed to perfection, and in production, with the exact level of quality one has come to admire in his construction. Knowing now the extent of his financial and health concerns at the time of this collection, it is unsurprising to have seen such a safe collection. And yet, whilst many at the time were heralding it as the possible end for Yohji himself, I saw a reminder of why I love Yohji Yamamoto.
What you see is not simply a rehashing of past collections, but rather a celebration of Yohji's style and work. The silhouettes, the shapes, the fabrics, the details - they are all classic Yohji. It was not so much a lack of ideas, but rather a reminder of all the ideas that make me come back to Yohji again and again. I agree with suspicions that Yohji did not have any great deal of involvement with this collection, however knowing the skill of his team, it was a nice, simple and clean collection. Of course taking into account the financial situation of Yohji Yamamoto at the time, it is also a highly economically-minded and commercial collection. These were classic Yohji looks that could be easily stocked, but more importantly, easily sold. Sometimes you have to make compromises to stay in the game - you can't always present the collection you want. But that is not always a bad thing, and I think this collection was a perfect example of that. It was not one of the greats, but it is was nice for stocking up on the basics.
Spring/Summer 2010
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