Mood board: The American duo who have been at the helm of the Japanese-French brand since 2011 reflected on our fractured, highly-politicised age: ‘At a time when the movement of peoples and the spread of cross-cultural dialogue marks our daily lives more than ever, our interest in telling personal stories has never felt more appropriate,’ they said. Theirs is style filled with colour, fun and narrative. Memoirs are revealed. Cultures are cultivated – for A/W 2019 – into sporty, utilitarian separates. Bags! Hats! Shoes! The collection was packed with seasonal souvenirs.
Scene setting: A/W 2019 reflected on co-Creative Director Humberto Leon’s Chinese-Peruvian heritage – the Tusán people whose ancestors arrived from Guangdong province to settle in Peru in the 19th century. A rich and colourful exchange of stories was woven into the clothes. The show was staged inside the Louvre. The catwalk was framed with large walls and a patterned carpet onto which the late Peruvian artist Pablo Amaringo’s paintings of an Ayahuasca dreamscape were printed. On the seats, guests were given tiny gunny sacks.
Best in show: Key was the layering of ethnographic textiles with ski-wear inspired pieces. Zip off pants. Mismatched colours. Outerwear pieces featured harness collars, reversible mesh linings and detachable pocket gloves. Stripy open weave knits had a Coachella appeal; metallic pinstripe suiting was relaxed and worn with hoodies. The graphic curves of silk moiré were turned into a print and applied across suits, worn with matching shirts. Tailored jackets were turned inside-out so that linings become sleeves and the backs have airtex mesh overlay. §
