Dior in Kyoto, Afro-Caribbean meets Japan, and Nigo + Pharrell
This Week is All About Merging Different Worldviews
Fashion Flash Week 4
© Jah Jah & Comme des Garçons
Dior lands in Kyoto
The pre-fall shows for the French Maison are an opportunity to take their history of legacy and savoir-faire around the world, using different cities as a background and inspiration to explore new paths while honouring the codes that have made them reach fashion’s highest status. The city chosen to house their next show pre-fall 2025 is Kyoto, reinforcing and celebrating their bond with Japan, one that started in 1953, where Christian Dior himself showcased his collection in the Asian country. “In the early 1950s, Christian Dior began collaborating with a Kyoto-based silk workshop; he subsequently designed a series of looks for his haute couture collection, which he cut in the precious Japanese textile,” said Maria Grazia Chiuri, creative director of the Maison.
The show will be held on April 15th in the garden of To-ji Temple in Kyoto, one of the two guardian temples built on the east and the west sides of the main entrance of the Imperial City of Heiankyo in the year 796. The temple is considered the headquarters of the Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism and was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. With such a millenary history behind it, it will be interesting to see the outcome of the fusion of past and present, of the east and the west. “The cradle of exclusive craftsmanship honed by generations of gifted artisans, the city offers a unique context to reignite some of these creative exchanges,” added Chiuri.
To-ji Temple│via Wikimedia Commons│© Zairon
Setchu Debuts at Pitti Uomo
On what is the first runway show for the Japanese brand, Setchu debuts at one of the most important encounters for menswear and the industry that surrounds it, held in Florence, Italy. Since its foundation in 2020 in the middle of the pandemic, the brand conceived by Satoshi Kuwata has lived a steady and promising rise, reaching an all-time high in 2023 when he took home the highly prestigious and life-changing LVMH Prize, a proof that his philosophy and approach to the craft were worthy of being celebrated by the industry. After this, his name appeared more and more often in fashion conversations, and his collections have been well received, and now, Pitti highlighted his name by naming Setchu the Guest Designer of their 107th edition alongside MM6 Maison Margiela.
With an aesthetic that effortlessly blends eastern and western influences, collected from his periods living in Paris, Milan, London, and New York, the Kyoto-born designer is known for his utilitarian, genderless fashion that still keeps the sensibility and edge Japanese designers have us used to. The collection presented at Pitti under the name Tokyo in the Arno was a perfect mix of his two universes; tailoring elements were reinterpreted and reconstructed, alluding to traditional silhouettes like the kimonos and the obis, fabrics like tartan and denim shared space with jacquard silk pieces with Japanese motifs, and the elegance of the lace coexisted harmoniously with relaxed knits and fishing-inspired attire. Setchu has found its place in the industry, and it's one very hard to replace or imitate.
Jah Jah x Comme des Garçons Shirt
Within the context of fashion weeks, many collaborations, encounters, and connections are born, celebrating creativity and the union of different worldviews. The best example of a cultural exchange resulting in something great is this brand-new collaboration between the Japanese giant Comme des Garçons and the Parisian Afro-vegan restaurant Jah Jah. The establishment has gained prominence over time thanks to its unique approach in the F&B sector, providing not only a unique culinary experience but also a musical and cultural scene surrounding it that helped develop a loyal community that is also characterised by their unique style, now enhanced by the avant-garde touch of Comme des Garçons Shirt.
The collaboration between the two very different but similarly creative forces results in a drop where the Afro-Caribbean-inspired elements, like the fabrics, the prints, the motifs, and the colour palette, blend with the Japanese take on proportions, construction, and garment silhouettes. The result is nothing short of great, with a campaign with immense cultural richness and timeless pieces that will be exclusively available from January 22nd at Dover Street Market Paris.
Pharrell Williams and Nigo for Louis Vuitton
The years of friendship between the two fashion icons have left us with many memorable moments, collections, and collaborations. We just have to look back to remember the greatness of Billionaire Boys Club, Ice Cream, their Adidas line, or their joint adventures at Bape, but in the last Fall/Winter 2025 Louis Vuitton collection presented at Paris Fashion Week, their friendship and partnership reached a completely new level. The collection is the physical manifestation of a story that began in the early 2000s, where they first met each other, and it's a celebration of the streetwear and the codes that have made each one of them key names in fashion.
The models take the stage in the set conceived by the interior design firm Wonderwall, founded by Masamichi Katayama, that works as a circular and physical timeline that holds different archive elements of the brand owned by Nigo, Pharrell, and private collectors. In the collection, it is clear which references, ideas, colours, or elements come from which side of the duo, but their worlds and minds are so aligned that they look as cohesive and logical as if it was made by one. New prints flood the different looks, with the most evident one being Nigo and Pharrell side profile, like the historical figures on the coins. This collaboration is reminiscent of the past, accurate for the present and its necessities, and a look to the future of streetwear.
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