THEATRE PRODUCTS' 2018-19 Fall/Winter collection was unveiled at Shibuya Hikarie on March 23rd. This season's theme is "HOMME." All the looks were walked by male models, but the collection is not for men, but rather "a wardrobe for men prepared for women," making it a proper women's collection.

The first look was of a black model in a white summer striped suit. The outfit consisted of a tight double-breasted jacket and baggy pants. The fit and flare silhouette, a white bag with different sized bags attached, and a barrette attached to the chest gave the look a feminine impression. Hard-edged men's pieces, such as a fireman's jacket with reflective tape, a military coat made of paraffin-treated weathercloth, and a knitted bullfighter jacket, are accentuated with femininity by pairing them with jodhpur bottoms, babouche slip-ons, and slip-ons. The brand's playful accessories, such as sweatshirts and bags featuring the Tokyo Beef logo and a crossbody bag printed with a shoe polishing cloth, look comical when carried by male models, but when transformed into women's, a completely different picture emerges. The brand also presented a menswear-themed collection for the Fall/Winter 2014-15 season. "I wasn't satisfied with my previous proposal, so I wanted to express men's items more clearly. I didn't particularly consider femininity, but rather stripped down the design to highlight the appeal of men's clothing," designer Miwa Morita said. "I was reminded that fashion can be enjoyed beyond gender," said brand founder Akira Takeuchi.

The show was led by human beatboxer AFRA, who performed improvised live overdubs on the spot. It was a solo performance from opening to closing. A similar attempt to create show music entirely by one person on the spot was made by TUKER in the space travel-themed 2016-17 Fall/Winter collection, using instruments, but this time it was voice only. Women's wear became men's, female models became male models, and voices became instruments, making it a collection that was inverted in real life, not magic or fakery.


Text: Tatsuya Noda