Rainmaker Spring Show with Electronic Musicians and Composers Opening Eiko Ishibashi stood in front of a piano inside the Kyocera Museum of Art in Kyoto, wearing a navy blue tunic over a pair of back pants. Shortly after she started playing, the first model emerged from the stairs behind her, wearing a baggy jacket and matching grey trousers that felt seconds away from its berry hue. Below, a navy blue tunic was only half-buttoned so the model could put one hand in the right pocket, revealing a belt tied to herself in the process, with the excess hanging on Outside. The model’s hair is parted in the middle and an earring is attached to her left ear.
If it seems like this description might be too detailed, it’s only because that’s the level of attention Kohichi Watanabe injects into his outfits. The palette consists primarily of black and navy shades (a jacket with frog buttons combining both shades is absolutely brilliant), as well as greens, creams and reds that stack on top of each other to create a sense of depth. Costumes that cannot help but reflect the depth of the wearer.
“Layering inspired by classic Japanese clothing,” Watanabe shared via email. “The spring and summer nature is represented by layers of different colors.” Professional layering is one of his signature techniques, rooted in the traditional way of wearing a kimono, although his approach is by no means historical. Consider a look that starts with an indigo shirt – only the buttons at the top are visible – worn under a hooded white cotton trench coat, which itself is worn under a navy blazer with patch pockets, worn at the waist The belt is tightened. Or the cream polo and matching trousers were worn by a printed jacket tied at the waist with a red belt to create a modern take on the traditional belt.
Watanabe makes men’s and women’s clothing, but on the runway, the distinction seemed completely irrelevant. The people here are dressed in very nice clothes, walk calmly and act with ease, with their hands in a hidden pocket; a half jacket is folded here, a tunic over a matching shirt and trousers— — The fabrics flow gently around their bodies as they walk around the Kyocera Museum. They evoke a sense of utopia. Even through the computer screen, the way the final gooseberry red trench coat slid gently behind the model was enough to take your breath away.
