Japanese designers shine in Paris with Junya Watanabe, Noir and Comme des garçons

Paris Fashion Week was packed with spectacular creations from Japanese designers on Saturday. On the sixth day of women's ready-to-wear shows dedicated to Spring/Summer 2025, three of the most emblematic houses of the Japanese avant-garde shined with sculptural silhouettes and sophisticated constructions. These were Junya Watanabe, Noir by designer Kei Ninomiya and Comme des garçons.

In a disco atmosphere of the 80s, with Sam Smith's version of I feel love by Donna Summer at full blastJunya Watanabe sent an army of neo-Amazonians to walk the runway in hyper-protective shell suits. To create his collection for next summer, the designer delved into the world of motorcycling, compiling the complete biker outfit, which he deconstructed to create bold looks for the futuristic brunette lady.

It acquired its products from the Japanese equipment manufacturer Degner, which has been serving motorcycle and racing enthusiasts since 1987. Leather suits, nylon saddlebags, tires, gloves, reflective materials, straps, non-slip rubber and other accessories… The designer didn't throw anything away by cutting it into small pieces or meticulously deconstructing it, then artfully reassembling all these elements like a puzzle.

Under his magic wand, these sections of different technical materials are transformed into smooth Art Deco style patchwork coats. Using bags with multiple zippered pockets, she creates parachute dresses or oversized jackets, while thermal blankets of some kind are used to create gorgeous shimmering silver party dresses, and rugs are used as basques on crinoline dresses.

“I believe that abnormal clothing is necessary in our daily lives. This collection has been created by recycling modern everyday materials and using sculptural techniques,” says Junya Watanabe in his statement of intent.

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In Noir, Kei Ninomiya also opts for spectacular three-dimensional outfits. As always, she started with a predominantly black base, which she highlighted with vibrant shades of red. Wearing sports socks and pearl-embellished sneakers, the result of a collaboration with Reebok, all the models wore voluminous ensembles. For hats, they wore strange copper vessels and watering cans turned upside down on their heads, displaying cascades of curls.

The women imagined by the designer seem straight out of a fairy tale, halfway between princesses and witches. Thousands of balls of fabric, each pulsing with a red glow, made up the first look, while the wedding dress, which closed the show, literally glowed in the dark, with countless flower-shaped luminous bulbs. Elsewhere, a huge poisonous flower opened and closed its large, leather-trimmed mesh petals along its torso and chest. In addition to the flowers, large and small, red and black mouths also mark the collection.

Kei Ninomiya explored new shapes and all types of materials, such as lace made from plastic mesh or expandable foams, generally used in construction, with which he lined pieces of tulle. This extravagant decorum and large tulle plumes were applied to harnesses slipped over an everyday wardrobe to embellish and subvert it. In the same vein, the designer made lattices with thin metal or colored leather chains to layer on dresses. He is obsessed with belts and suspenders, which are infinitely multiplied in unusual jackets.

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To close this stimulating day, Comme des garçons once again hit home with a high-impact collection that deeply resonated with current events and the difficult times we live in. As did the final three imposing silhouettes in immaculate white “cloud” dresses, exploding in enormous puffs. Made of tulle, with thick layers, bows and ruffles, they were also constructed from a stack of plastic bags. At the end of the show and the music, the three models stood frozen for several seconds, looking at the audience as if making a heartbreaking plea for peace.

Previous models used the same bubbly cocoon crinoline structure, but were dyed red. Also in this case, the queen of Japanese fashion Rei Kawakubo played with bumps of cotton or tulle, or with stacked transparent cushion covers, but the latter were filled with a fabric splattered with red stains, like blood… A black dress with large puffy baskets on her hips she hid a tulle train in the back studded with militant posters and leaflets broadcasting SOS messages against global warming.

In another series of creations, the models completely disappeared under large square or pointed, tent-like covers made of fabulous brocade fabrics. The small indentation at head level makes it impossible to even distinguish the face. Sometimes, large red ribbons were wrapped around this single opening, tightening it. It is difficult not to think about the condition of women in many countries around the world, especially in Afghanistan.

Other ceremony dresses had giant, misshapen sleeves that restricted the arms, just like the first catwalk looks. Rigid, they impeded movement, forcing the models to take small, slow steps; They were dressed in some sort of large ancient columns or bell-style dresses wrapped in a strange cloak that had solidified. Rei Kawakubo seems to tell us that there is very little hope left.