Yohji Yamamoto
Autumn/Winter 2004-2005
Yohji Yamamoto Collections
2014
Yamamoto & Yohji
Published by Rizzoli
Yes, Yohji loves color, and he proves his mastery of it by superimposing ultra-pigmented paisleys. As for black, it's chained with rocker metal and built up in Belle Époque velvet; it dives into the marine world with capes and sailor coats sporting sculpted collars and oversized buttons, and amuses itself in the dimension of details with enormous pockets that look like bags grafted onto the garment.
Fashion Anthology
Profile of Yohji Yamamoto & Y-3
June 2004
High Fashion No.297
Photography by Yutaka Yamamoto and Shin Shin
ヨウジヤマモトとY-3、山本耀司のクリエーティビティが増幅する。
ヨウジヤマモト、Y's、Y-3⋯⋯自らの名前をブランドに冠する責任とは誰かがつくった歴史の流れに乗るのではなく、すべてを自分でつくりだすという点において自分自身を信じられるかどうかを背負い込むこと。ここでは去る1月にいち早く発表されたヨウジヤマモトとY-3をフォーカスしながら、服となって表われる山本耀司のクリエーティビティを詳らかにする。
Yohji Yamamoto and Y-3, Yohji Yamamoto's creativity amplifies.
Yohji Yamamoto, Y's, Y-3… The responsibility of bearing one's own name as a brand is not to follow the flow of history created by someone else, but rather to create everything by one's own, and to bear the burden of believing in oneself. Here, we focus on Yohji Yamamoto and Y-3, both of which were released in January, and reveal Yohji Yamamoto's creativity as expressed in his clothes.
Yohji Yamamoto
右ページ：表裏ともに違うプリントを施した手の込んだテキスタイル。長いトレーン風のデザインや袖口の折返し、エプロン状のワンピースなど、アシメトリーなデザインでこのテキスタイルの持つ美しさと贅沢さを印象づける。ペプラム状のパネル布が長く垂れたワンピース。¥178,500 ヨウジヤマモト
左ページ：ウール素材が醸し出す、温かみのある情緒的な表情がゆかしい、さまざまなプリントたち。
右から、コレクションでは右ページのワンピースとのコーディネートで見せたパンツ。¥94,500 右ページと同じワンピース。腰位置あたりで、横にタックをとったワンピース¥189,000 右隣のワンピースの裏。フロントの裾が長くとられたエプロン状のワンピース¥126,000 ヨウジヤマモト
●製品に関するお問合せは、ヨウジヤマモト tel.03-5463-1500へ。
Yohji Yamamoto
Right page: An elaborate textile with different prints on both the front and back. Asymmetrical designs such as a long train-like design, folded cuffs, and an apron-like dress emphasize the beauty and luxury of this textile. A dress with long hanging peplum-like panel fabric. ¥178,500 Yohji Yamamoto
Left page: Various prints with warm and emotional expressions created by wool material.
From the right, the pants shown in the collection are coordinated with the dress on the right page. ¥94,500 Same dress as on the right page. A dress that is tucked to the side around the waist. ¥189,000. Back of the dress on the right. Apron-like dress with long front hem. ¥126,000 Yohji Yamamoto
● For product inquiries, please contact Yohji Yamamoto tel. 03-5463-1500.
「服に力を取り戻す」ための挑戦。
世の中広しといえども、いま山本耀司ほど多くのブランドを手がけるデザイナーはおそらくいない。レディースの２ブランドとメンズに加えて、アディダスとのコラボレーションブランド、Y-3を合わせると、年間8回もパリでコレクシヨンを発表している。なんとひと月半に一度、世界に向かって生身をさらしていることになる。
しかも、そのデザインはいずれも方向性が違う。オートクチュールの時期に見せている、ヨウジヤマモトは、プレタポルテの形式はとっているが、極めてクチュール的であるために事実上はオートクチュールだと思われている。というよりも、山本が「プレタとクチュールに変わりはないでしょ」とパリ・クチュール界に乗り込んで、あっという間にそれを認めさせてしまったのだ。ワイズでは純粋なプレタポルテを作り、Y-3ではモードとスポーツウェアの橋渡しをしてみせる。
山本耀司のすごいところは、それぞれのブランドで、常に時代の主流に逆らう新しい流れを作ろうとすることだ。いつも強いメッセージをショーに託す。たとえば、１月にパリで発表した’04-’05秋冬のヨウジヤマモト。山本は二つの命題を観客に問いかけた。一つめは、「服に力を取り戻せるか」。ショーに登場したのは、極太チェーンを巻きつけた黒のパンツスーツや、往年のスキャパレリを思わせるコート。金ボタンのいかついダブルブレストコートもある。
アイテムだけなら、いまはやりのパンクと単なる’50年代調、ミリタリールックということになる。ところが、それがヨウジ流の大胆なカッティングと独特のボリューム、細心の仕立てにかかると、それぞれのモチーフよりも服としての存在感が迫ってくる。こうなるともう、パンクやミリタリーはちょっとした味つけでしかない。振り返ってみれば、かつてのほんとうによい服は、ただそれだけでも美しかった。「最近はマーケティングやスタイリング、広告で服を見せる手法ばかり。服自体に力がなくなっているのは、僕らの責任」と山本は言っていた。
もう一つは、ショーや作品全体に漂う楽しさだ。冒頭は床に落ちたオリエンタルな小花柄のジャケットを、ロマンティックなドレスのモデルが自由に重ね着していく。かと思えば、パンツスーツには、昔の郵便配達のおじさんが持っていたような大きなポケットのバッグがついている。ピーコートやペプラムジャケットは、裾が少し外側にはねて、歩くたびにスイングした。
その楽しさをもっとストレートに表現したのが、３月に発表されたY-3だ。スポーツウェア寄りだったデザインをぐっとモードに近づけて、享楽的な気分を演出した。ライン入りのトレーニングパンツではなくフィフティーズのフレアスカート、スウェットパーカはピンクのスカジャンに変わった。なによりも発表のしかたがおもしろい。一度だけのショーではなく、１週間連続でのパーティ形式で作品を見せたのだ。観客は暖炉のある部屋でシャンペンを飲んで音楽を聴きながら、そばでくつろぐモデルを眺めた。
戦争やテロなどの暗い雲が立ちこめる中、こんな楽しさこそがファッションの役割の一つなのかもしれない。そんな服が、もう決して若くもないデザイナーの、命がけとも感じさせる服作りへの情熱から生まれてくる。それが、胸を打つのだ。
A challenge to "bring back power to clothes."
Even though the world is vast, there is probably no designer who is currently involved in as many brands as Yohji Yamamoto. In addition to the two women's brands and men's brands, he also collaborates with Adidas on the Y-3 brand, thus presenting collections in Paris eight times a year. This means that he exposes himself to the world once every month and a half.
Moreover, each design has a different direction. Yohji Yamamoto's work, which he shows during the haute couture period, takes the form of prêt-à-porter, but it is so couture-like that it is actually considered haute couture. Rather, Yamamoto jumped into the Paris couture world and said, "There's no difference between prêt and couture, right?" and quickly had it recognized. Y’s creates pure ready-to-wear, while Y-3 bridges the gap between fashion and sportswear.
The great thing about Yohji Yamamoto is that with each of his brands, he always tries to create new trends that go against the mainstream of the times. He always leaves a strong message in his shows. For example, Yohji Yamamoto Autumn/Winter ’04-’05 was revealed in Paris in January. Yamamoto asked the audience two propositions. The first question is, "Can we bring back power to clothes?" Appearing in the show were black pantsuits with thick chains wrapped around them and coats reminiscent of Schiaparelli's classics. There is also a heavy-duty double-breasted coat with gold buttons.
In terms of items alone, it would be the current punk style, a simple '50s style, and a military look. However, when it comes to Yohji's bold cuts, unique volumes, and meticulous tailoring, their presence as clothing becomes more apparent than the individual motifs. At this point, punk and military are just a little flavor. Looking back, the really good clothes of the past were beautiful in and of themselves. "Recently, we've been using marketing, styling, and advertising to show off our clothes. It's our fault that clothes themselves have lost their power," Yamamoto said.
The other thing is the fun that pervades the show and the work as a whole. In the opening, a model in a romantic dress freely layers a jacket with an oriental flower pattern that has fallen on the floor. The pantsuit also comes with a bag with large pockets, similar to those carried by old postmen. Pea coats and peplum jackets had hems that flipped outward a little and swung with every step.
Revealed in March, Y-3 expresses that fun more directly. The design, which used to lean toward sportswear, has been brought closer to mode, creating a hedonistic mood. Instead of lined training pants, she wore a fifties flared skirt, and her sweatshirt hoodie was replaced by a pink sukajan. Above all, the presentation method was interesting. Rather than just a one-time show, they presented their work in a party format that lasted a week. Spectators drank champagne and listened to music in a room with a fireplace as they watched models lounging nearby.
As dark clouds of war and terrorism gather, this kind of fun may be one of the roles of fashion. Clothes like these are born from the passion of a designer who is no longer young, and who makes clothes that feel like it's life-threatening. That's what’s touching.
Yohji Yamamoto: FALL 2004 READY-TO-WEAR
January 18, 2004
Vogue
Written by Sarah Mower
Photography by Marcio Madeira
The first fall offerings from Yohji Yamamoto were six soft, multicolored, printed tailcoats, laid out on the floor of a freezing school hall. Perhaps the result of a journey to Tibet, Uzbekistan, or somesuch folkloric pilgrimage? "No," he said laconically. "I just wanted to prove I can do color." The patterns "flowery, mini-paisley mixes, ink jet-printed on double-faced flannel" suggested, he said cheerfully, "a cheap hotel."
Then in filed a Yamamoto army of quiffed rockabillies, picking up the coats and shrugging them over layers of printed tunics and slouchy cuffed trousers in a nice m¿l¿e of dusty blues, violet, ocher, and cinnamon. Having made the color point, Yamamoto reverted to his beloved all-black avant-garde cutting, this season scissored into an Edwardiana-meets-rocker kind of elegance.
Variations on high-collared cutaway coats, shown with cropped pants and biker boots, have a lanky swagger. While some are hung with chrome chains and others come with snowflake-knit sleeves, the most sophisticated tailoring is paired with bunchy velvet bows, spilling artfully from the front. Another experiment (a subtle dig at the alarming proliferation of must-have bags, maybe?) places big leather pockets at the front of skewed pea coats, receptacles roomy enough to allow a woman to roam the world hands-free.
The best came last: a striking sequence of sweeping greatcoats and capes with layers of collars and oversize brass and chrome buttons. Part military, part highwayman, the variations include a tiny-waisted version, its huge collar trimmed in white sailor braid, and a trench whose detail is picked out in red patent leather. The effect "gutsy and chic at the same time" reveals Yamamoto leading fashion's forward march once more.
