A sure-fire clue into the complex inner workings of a Junya Watanabe show can usually be found on the model's heads, where a basic hair-do suddenly takes on fully loaded artistic licence. This season Watanabe had his women clamped into closely fitting skull caps. They were made from what appeared to be discarded hair clippings that had been swept up from a salon floor and glued back together in all-black, puzzle-like formations. Collage was, in fact, this collection's theme, and though it's been a bit of a buzz word for Parisian designers of late, no one has done it with the skill, intricacy or poetic grace of Watanabe. Wool, netting, tulle and even flashy sequins were all employed as the raw materials for his artistic canvases. Working first in circle constructions that looked as if the clothes had been hole-punched with giant cookie cutters, Watanabe then moved to triangles, waves and petal shapes, allowing the diverse materials to pile up like a secret garden on tunic tops, ponchos, capes and dramatic long skirts. All of the sport and street elements of his past collections had been erased here, unless you count the puffer jackets that were reconfigured into Michelin Man funnel-like shapes. Meanwhile, Watanabe worked in an almost universally black palette. It is a true testament to this designer's workmanship that so much depth - not to mention emotion - was transmitted, while using such a flat, colourless hue.
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Balenciaga’s triumphant return to fragrance looks back to the house’s roots – and a forgotten 1947 bottleThe new collection of ten fragrances is a meticulous ode to the house’s history, beginning with a rare 1947 bottle of ‘Le Dix’, thought to be the only one in existence
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Just how controversial was Banksy’s new Royal Courts of Justice piece?A new Banksy appeared on the walls of the Royal Courts of Justice in London on 7th September and it's already been covered up and scrubbed off. But what statement was Banksy really trying to make?
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Tread a thoroughly British line with these New Balance Made in UK trainersNew Balance’s latest collection of Made in UK trainers is inspired by the lush palette of British landscapes, from the Lake District to vineyards
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Haute Couture Week A/W 2025: what to expectFive moments to look out for at Haute Couture Week A/W 2025 in Paris (starting Monday 7 July), from Glenn Martens’ debut for Maison Margiela to Demna’s Balenciaga swansong. Plus, ‘new beginnings’ from JW Anderson
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Donna Trope celebrates the power of the Polaroid in Paris‘Polaroids used to be my rejects, and now they are my holy grail,’ says the beauty photographer, as she shows rarely seen images in a Paris exhibition
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Palace unites with Rapha to celebrate inaugural Tour de France FemmesMarking the first time women will compete in the historic cycling race since the late 1980s, this new collaboration sees Palace Skateboards and Rapha create uniforms for both on and off the bike – including an ‘outlandish’ pair of Crocs
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Paris Fashion Week A/W 2022: Chanel to Miu MiuIn this extended report, Wallpaper* updates you live from Paris Fashion Week A/W 2022 shows, with rolling coverage as runway events unfold
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Scene-stealing runway sets from S/S 2022 womenswear showsFrom giant roulette wheels to Olympic diving boards and multi-city synchronized extravaganzas – our pick of the best fashion show sets from S/S 2022 womenswear
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Louis Vuitton A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women's -
Chanel A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women’s -
Y/Project A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women's
