Paris Fashion Week SS 2017 : Yohji Yamamoto

Magic, minimalism, art, dramatic drape and contemplation- this is what Yohji Yamamoto is the master of. Need proof? Look no further than Angelo Flaccavento of the Business of Fashion, Suzy Menkes of Vogue.com UK, Jessica Iredale of WWD, Jessica Bumpus of NowFashion.com and Amy Verner of Vogue.

Was it all praise for the legendary Yamamoto for his S/S 2017 collection? Certainly not. Iredale of WWD observed the fashion at Yohji Yamamoto as trendy, comparing the cut out bandage looks to Herve Leger while also drawing comparisons to the of-the-moment cold shoulder look and the popularity of branding and logos as seen on the back of a black jacket. To Iredale these looks are no different than a trendy fast fashion capsule. Meanwhile Bumpus simply reiterated what could have been said about a million Yohji Yamamoto previews before: there was a lot of black.

Menkes, Flaccavento, and Verner were unabashed in their worship of Yamamoto’s historically contemplative arrangements. All agreed that this season was nothing out of the ordinary, however it inspired emotional and moving reviews. Their zeal for Yamamoto’s approach to draping and tailoring was arresting with reviews that read like prose. Flaccavento was taken with the magic and reliability of Yamamoto. Mention of the bandaging and draped, painted dresses almost seemed to be an afterthought compared to the glowing rundown of Yamamoto’s emotional impact from Menkes and Verner. Verner gave an exquisite rebuttal to defend all that bandaging- it was in reference to Jean Cocteau’s  L’Œdipe Roi in 1937. Costume designer, Coco Chanel, dressed Oedipus (Jean Marais) in a suit of bandages. Menkes review was tender while recognizing that this was a representation and a fusion of self-reflection, music, art and fashion.