Tailored Basics for the Urban Rebel at Yohji Yamamoto Spring/Summer 2015

To label Yohji Yamamoto’s overall aesthetic simply as a well-executed fusion of Japanese structure and European aesthetics wouldn’t even begin to scratch the surface of this legendary designer’s sentiments. His menswear collection for the Spring/Summer 2015 season powerfully expresses the viewpoints which Yamamoto has consistently articulated throughout his career: traditional Japanese craftsmanship, avant-garde imagination, and at the base of it all, “wanting to protect a human’s body,” as said in a 2011 interview with The Talks.

“When I think about the image of a designer I think about trends,” says Yamamoto. “I have to think about what’s new or next—it’s too busy for me. So from the beginning, I wanted to protect the clothes themselves from fashion.”

Once again, Yamamoto has managed to push his work to the forefront of fashion.

The start of the show saw models clad in wide-legged culottes, asymmetrical tuxedos with contrast elbow patches, and draped tunics with wide sleeves. The collection transitioned from its rebellious flair to simpler branded fabrics and iconography featuring suburban-style “missing dog” posters.

The androgynous sentiment Yamamoto envisioned for women’s at the start of his career in 1977 has come full circle in his newest collection, as the menswear silhouettes are soft and offer a complimentary contrast against the durable fabrics they were made with. Well-tailored rebels who wish to explore this collection further will don a fresh twist on utilitarianism at the most, and a ready-to-wear conversation piece at the very least.