Walking into La Belle Aurore, the historic Milanese bar where Setchu made his presentation, you could hardly distinguish designer Satoshi Kuwata's friends modeling his fall 2024 collection apart from the guests, as the two wandered around the rustic interiors chatting and drinking. a drink, just enjoying. themselves.
It was exactly what Kuwata wanted to offer: a relaxed moment in the midst of the frenzy of fashion week and away from all her fantasy, which echoed her own desire to return to reality after winning the 2023 LVMH Prize and the subsequent visibility boom in the last six months.
“I think we are facing that second stage after the LVMH Prize. Obviously more people know about me and I think I wanted to get back to who I am, which is just a real person,” Kuwata said. “I wanted to have a mix of people, a mix of ages – our real lives are reflected in this event.”
The collection was also a mix, as Kuwata believes that authenticity lies in the intersection of cultures and references. Combining tailoring with utility, elegant with sporty, matte with shiny, Kuwata turned normality into an exercise in effortless sophistication.
He drew on his signatures, such as crisp garments with sharp pleats, paper collarless Oxford shirts, Bermuda pants with wide pleats, as well as dresses whose constructions recalled origami folding techniques. A couple of leather pieces, including biker jackets and a belted suit, looked great and added a stylish touch.
Layers played a key role in enhancing the graphic silhouettes while injecting an unpredictable twist to the looks. The effect was enhanced by zippers that transformed the look and fit of garments, including quilted jackets, cashmere hoodies and tartan mohair skirts, or buttons that transformed ribbed fabrics and opened their silhouette to new styling solutions.
Rather than expanding its range and adding new design ideas, Kuwata is committed to refining its brand's existing tropes. “We have iconic styles, we just have to dig deeper to make them better and better,” he said.
This process is driven by experimentation with fabrics, as the Japanese talent included a new washable cashmere and paper denim among its latest innovations. “Something that seems normal but is actually really innovative, that's what we're trying to do,” he concluded.
