A joint show by UNDER COVER and sacai was held on October 20th in a special tent in front of the Shotoku Memorial Art Museum. As part of Amazon Fashion Week TOKYO 2018 S/S's special project "AT TOKYO," it was the first big Tokyo fashion event in a long time, but unfortunately it rained on the day. Around 1,000 spectators lined up around the tent with umbrellas and waited in the cold rain for the doors to open. Undercover has presented its new collections at Paris Fashion Week every season since 2002 (Spring/Summer 2003), and Sacai has presented its new collections at Paris Fashion Week since 2009 (Spring/Summer 2010). However, this was Sacai's first runway show in Tokyo, and Undercover's first in 15 years. Naturally, this was their first joint show. Each brand presented their 2018 Spring/Summer collections just a few weeks earlier at Paris Fashion Week, but presented them on home turf under the same production as in Paris, creating a sense of triumphant return. Sacai, which launched its collection first, further evolved its brand style, which can be described in various ways as mixture, hybrid, cut-up, and collage. Their technique, which combined harsh patchwork elements, such as traditional British men's check, military, and lace, with a seemingly contradictory texture and culture, was impressive, yet feminine and light. The sense of speed in the way they connected more than 40 looks one after the other was realistic, creating a cute and powerful women's look that was typical of Tokyo.
Undercover, who took over from the front, opposite Sacai, presented a dramatic show themed on Janus, a god from Roman mythology who has two opposing faces. In contrast to Sacai's funky runway, illuminated with pure white light sources, a chandelier hung from the ceiling, and twin models appeared on the other side of red velvet, all reminiscent of twins. Each look featured the same items, but upon closer inspection, they were all reversible. One of the twins' embroidered Lolita-style apron dresses was adorned with beading that resembled flowing blood, creating a scene straight out of a movie. The opening credits of "The Shining" were also included.
The photo-printed dresses, coats, and cut-and-sew pieces featuring Cindy Sherman's work, a particularly iconic feature of this collection, seem to illustrate the theme of duality. From the early black-and-white works of the '70s to the large-scale color pieces of the '80s, these bold, graphic transfers are sure to become iconic archive pieces not only for the Maison, but for the Tokyo fashion scene as a whole.
Undercover established its brand identity, heavily influenced by the artwork and stories behind music from the late '70s to early '80s, from punk to new wave to techno. Later, Sacai built its brand around the core concept of Tokyo club culture, typified by Shibaura Gold and New York house, as well as the techniques of DJs and remixers. They were pioneers of luxury and street luxury, and a major influence on the millennial generation, incorporating cutting-edge Tokyo street culture into their fashion. This was the first joint show featuring Japanese designers representing each decade since the ISSEY MIYAKE and KENZO show hosted by the Mainichi Shimbun on June 2, 1982, and the COMME des GARÇONS and YOHJI YAMAMOTO men's collection joint show "6.1 THE MEN" held at Meiji Jingu Swimming Pool in June 1991. This event, the first in 26 years (a quarter of a century), will be remembered for the models, actresses, musicians, and celebrities who appeared in the show and who sat in the front row.
In response to the changing consumer environment of "see now, buy now," the items that appeared at the collection's finale went on sale on Amazon the following day and immediately sold out. The rain stopped after the show ended, and that night both brands held a party at a club in Shibuya that lasted until late into the night, creating a night in which a brilliant light shone on the Tokyo fashion scene for the first time in a long while.
Text: Tastuya Noda
