“A statement about today’s world.” According to the show notes, that’s the takeaway from Yohji Yamamoto’s fall men’s show, which was presented in a video format. Statements that might be described as rebel yells there were aplenty: Coats and suits were printed and embroidered with random, untethered phrases including “Amazing Grace” and more terrifyingly “Born a Terrorist,” that felt somewhat tired. In contrast, Yamamoto’s own voice—the designer sang to his compositions on most of the soundtrack—was confident and strong, revealing his rock and roll heart.

All that said, the best pieces in this lineup spoke for themselves. Draped pants with exaggerated Charlie Chaplin proportions were lyrical; great coats built around the body had an epic quality. The armor-like outerwear, muzzle-style masks, and metal-mesh gloves hinted at a medieval quest, one that intersected with the bravado strut of the jaded punks, dressed all in black and bondage that Yamamoto and his fans never tire of. If these rebels had a cause, it had less to do with the “issues” so fragmentarily spelled out on their clothes, than it did with broadening the spectrum of masculinity.

Shrouded in oversized, layered clothes and sporting Edward Scissorhands hair, the models seemed more fragile than ferocious. Two tailored looks featured corseting details that were softening despite their rows of metal hook-and-eye fastenings. Coats as stiff as neoprene had a subtle sparkle like that of the night sky. A shirt was printed with rose petals (or were they guitar picks?) and pants had a fluid motion.

The flaw of the video—that its cadence was interrupted by infomercially bits in which style numbers and fabric composition were shown—did serve to reveal that the designer had combined natural fibers with synthetic ones. The notes explained that this was “a souvenir of Yohji Yamamoto’s ’90s Homme design.”

This fall collection, we were told, is largely a reflection of the designer’s present-day observations of the streets and the world. However it arrives at a moment when “Old Yohji” is getting some retroactive love online, and Yamamoto is referencing his own oeuvre. Chronology is perhaps not the best framework for appreciating a designer known for his consistency. As my colleague Luke Leitch has noted, “Yamamoto doesn’t change but the world around him does.” In the best pieces in this collection, it is almost possible to feel the designer reaching through the shadows and guiding us through tempests to shelter.

In other news, Rick Owens Fall 2021 Men's. “I’m always conscious of my own aggression. And the older that I get, I feel like I should have reached a level of serenity that I just haven’t; I get impatient, I get itchy, I snap at people sometimes… Aggression is something that I’m fascinated with because I’m constantly conscious of wrestling with it, personally. And I think that that’s true of every man.”

“Old Yohji” is getting some retroactive love online, and Yamamoto is referencing his own oeuvre. Chronology is perhaps not the best framework for appreciating a designer known for his consistency.

Y’s Black collection looked a little rough around the edges — intentionally so, thanks to the frayed hem details that punctuated several looks — but its vocabulary was refined. Yohji Yamamoto’s creative team played on the label’s signature utilitarian aesthetic and roomy, layered silhouettes with a lineup titled “Truth.” It was indeed true to brand, and got straight to the point. Using natural fabrics such as Cupro, rayon and cotton, the design team succeeded in walking that very fine line between understated and interesting.

Alongside signature asymmetric gabardine pieces in black, fluid trenchcoats and raw indigo denim looks, there was an array of loose-fitting shirtdresses, shifts, one-pieces and pinafores, either plain, dip-dyed or bleached to create unique effects, as in a series in royal blue and black that resembled a cloudy night sky, with each piece unique.

It was indeed true to brand, and got straight to the point. Using natural fabrics such as Cupro, rayon and cotton, the design team succeeded in walking that very fine line between understated and interesting.

Yohji Yamamoto arrived in Paris to launch his label nearly 40 years ago. Yet backstage after a show held in the gilded reception hall of the Hôtel de Ville, he seemed unaware of the approaching milestone. “Already?” he said with a flutter of surprise.

One couldn’t help wonder at his rapport with time at this point in his career. “Time is not endless, but sometimes I feel endless,” he answered.

Such innate perseverance is likely what drove him to carry on with a classic runway presentation even as other Tokyo-based designers—Rei Kawakubo, Junya Watanabe, Chitose Abe, and Jun Takahashi—opted against traveling. “People told me I’m crazy,” he quipped, adding that it was important not to overthink things. “As soon as I made the decision to show in Paris, I stopped worrying; just do it.”

From the designs he shows to the way in which he shows them, Yamamoto’s singular approach is resonating more than ever. At turns sober and serene, mellow and melancholy, he delivered a lineup that offered respite from a gutting news cycle without disconnecting from reality.

To start, a series of white and black looks that gave the impression of splicing indoors and out—like crinkled, draped, and knotted bed linens with remnants of suiting. A series of minimalist, elongated silhouettes followed: weightless tailoring and raw-edged pants and ankle-length shirtdresses freely traced with bias stitching. Gradually, he introduced structure and volume with characteristic randomness—loose belting placed high and low, bustle formations, cage skirts in twisted copper wire, and leaf-like layers suspended in space. If Yamamoto was reinterpreting his repertoire, he nonetheless arrived at new expressions of nonconformity.

Meanwhile, models approaching from opposite directions would turn ever so slightly away from each other. The gesture registered respectful, not rude. The collection closed with pieced-together ensembles in white faintly dusted with color. “I’m not an artist who sends a strong political message,” he offered, as always, leaving his collection open to interpretation. “I just wanted to stand on the side of human beings, even if they are not always good.”

Indeed, Yamamoto’s presence today felt meaningful—a true commitment not only to his craft and the business that bears his name, but to Paris Fashion Week. Longtime friends and collaborators made the effort to attend, among them Charlotte Rampling, Martine Sitbon, Marc Ascoli, and Sarah Moon, whose current exhibition at the Musée d’Art Moderne features several striking photographs of Yamamoto’s creations from the 1990s. 

Tomorrow Yamamoto happens to be turning 77. Here’s to a happy and healthy birthday, Yohji-san; you have much to celebrate.

In the same way as its direct competitor LVMH, Kering has been affected by the current coronavirus pandemic, though both luxury conglomerates boast resilience in their financial half-year results. However, Kering was hit slightly harder than LVMH, with sales falling by an unadjusted 29.7 percent (compared to the 27 percent decline in LVMH). 

The consolidated revenue of €5.3 billion (around $6.3 billion USD) is approximately a third less than Kering's previous year's reported revenue but its operating margin remains "resilient" at 17.7 percent, Kering reports. Shop closings and stopped tourism played a major role in subverting Kering's fortunes, as they did with LVMH, and the resulting post-pandemic reopening worked in Kering's favor as well. 

While sales from directly operated stores shrank by almost 31 percent — Kering's total revenue decreased by an estimated 43.4 percent due to closure in particular in Q2 2020. Online sales rocketed 47.2 percent, however, boosting the figures of Kering during global quarantines. Asia, particularly China, has played a particularly important part in the gradual recovery of Kering. 

Gucci, arguably Kering's crown jewel, is a reflection of Kering's difficult year. It enjoyed a "robust" beginning in 2020, but saw sales fall over EUR 3 billion (around USD 3.6 billion) in the first six months of 2020, down 33.5 percent from 2019 (EUR 4.6 billion or about USD 5.4 billion). Kering records "favorable traction with local customers in its main markets" as Gucci stores continue to reopen, boosting the brand's online sales by a remarkable 51.8 percent, following a 36.1 percent drop in wholesale revenue. 

Ironically, only Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent (revenue down 30%) and Bottega Veneta (revenue down 8.4%) are being supplied by specific finances from Kering. As for Alexander McQueen and Balenciaga, Kering's only note is that the houses "held firm" and reduced declining revenue due to "the appeal of their innovative offering." Kering's "other houses" (i.e. those not Gucci, Saint Laurent or Bottega Veneta) brought in €919.1 million (about $1.07 billion) with revenue down by 25 percent. 

Kering's main brands continue to innovate in gendered fashion, even in the face of a global pandemic: Gucci has recently launched its first non-binary collection, and Bottega Veneta has launched a masculinity-questioning line.

In other news, Adidas and Yohji Yamamoto‘s long-running Y-3 label is expected to present its FW20 footwear collection in the coming weeks, and one of the main pieces is a new style called the Hicho. A platform take on adidas Originals‘ iconic Campus, the Hicho serves as Y-3's court shoe for the autumn season, elevating a classical style both figuratively and literally for a completely innovative look.

KERING'S REVENUE DROPPED NEARLY 30 PERCENT IN 2020'S FIRST HALF

In case you are going to the South of France this summer, you're likely to be visiting Saint-Tropez, at least for a few days, if not more. If you do, be sure to check out Saint Laurent Saint-Tropez, the new temporary boutique. Designed to mirror the aesthetics of a quaint but upscale Parisian residential apartment, it features neutral coloring with a counter and seats in alabaster; Burgundy stone flooring in soft, pale shades; exotic wood featuring on a hand-sculpted staircase; mirrored niches; and vintage furniture, one piece more inviting than the other. The pop-up features the women's collections of the House — including ready-to-wear, shoes, handbags, and accessories — and looks like it's coming back in the future for summer seasons, too. To learn more, you can visit Saint Laurent website. 

Yves Saint Laurent, founded in 1961, was the first couture house to introduce the idea of luxury prêt-à-porter in a 1966 collection entitled 'Rive Gauche,' synonymous with youth and liberty. This move marked the first crucial phase in fashion modernization, revolutionizing the socio-cultural landscape. 

In the 60s and early 70s, Yves Saint Laurent popularized fashion trends such as the beatnik look, men's and women's safari jackets, tight pants and tall, thigh-high boots, including the creation of Le Smoking suit in 1966, arguably the most famous classic tuxedo suit for women. Pop Art, Ballet Russes, Picasso, and Chinese are among his most memorable collections. Yves Saint Laurent also began to promote the concept of wearing 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s silhouettes.

In 1999, the Kering Group's luxury goods division purchased Yves Saint Laurent and, since April 2016, continues to put the house at the top of the luxury universe under the artistic leadership of Anthony Vaccarello. 

Today, the collections of Saint Laurent include women's and men's ready-to-wear handbags, shoes, small leather goods, jewelry, scarves, ties, and eyewear.

In other news, Japanese design, the designs of Yohji Yamamoto, and perhaps the design in general, should not and can not be defined and fully understood, and emotions should be given considerable room to present the opinion of what lies beyond appearance.

This pop-up will be exclusively dedicated to the women's collections. The store is set to become a recurrent summer fixture in Saint Tropez.

SAINT LAURENT POP-UP: SUMMER 2020 IN SAINT TROPEZ

The founder of Citadel and Chicago philanthropist Kenneth C. Griffin purchased the huge Jean-Michel Basquiat's "Boy and Dog in Johnnypump" back in June for over $100 million. "The vast majority of Kenneth's art collection is on display for the public to appreciate in museums," Citadel spokesperson Zia Ahmed said after the auction. "He plans to display this piece as well." The work will hang on the wall this Thursday in the Modern Wing of the Chicago Art Institute, where it will be on show to the public when the museum reopens. 

"This painting is from 1982, so really at the height of Basquiat's career," noted Hendrik Folkerts, the museum's modern and contemporary art curator. "This is why we are so much pleased to be able to reopen with Boy and Dog." Measuring 14 ft long and 8 ft high, the painting depicts one of Basquiat's almost skeletal Black male figures playing with a dog in the spray of an open fire hydrant, or "johnnypump." “He wanted to paint these figures, both dog and boy, from the inside out,” Folkerts explained, while the surrounding splashes of color evoked a “blazing hot summer landscape.”

Boy and Dog in Johnnypump will be the only Basquiat's piece on display at the museum. This latest addition highlights the impact and effect of his works on the latest generation of artists. "When I talk with young artists at the School (of the Art Institute) here in Chicago or somewhere else, Basquiat is an inspiration," said Folkerts. "Basquiat is there for them." Griffin is a leading donor to cultural organizations, especially in Chicago and New York, and has lent many important pieces, such as Number 17A by Jackson Pollock and Interchanged by Willem de Kooning. 

The Chicago Art Institute opens on July 30 and gives Illinois residents a week of free admission.

In other news, Adidas and Yohji Yamamoto have reunited for the second "YY EXCLUSIVE" launch following the debut of the sub-label last summer. The sub-label is distinct from Y-3, which mainly sees Yamamoto upgrading adidas classics, which is true for the latest collection of footwear and apparel.

After Chicago billionaire Kenneth C. Griffin purchased it last month.

JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT'S $100 MILLION PAINTING GOES ON DISPLAY

Japanese designer Kansai Yamamoto has died at the age of 76 years. Yamamoto's daughter Miki Yamamoto has taken to Instagram to announce the news of the death of her father. The prolific designer was fighting with acute myeloid leukemia that he revealed back in March. 

The designs of Kansai Yamomoto were well ahead of his time in many ways and this is evident in photographs of his 1971 London Fashion Week debut. He burst into the scene with a distinctive flair for androgynous designs, creating revealing knit playsuits, silk capes and other flamboyant garments influenced by the tradition-challenging Japanese form of Basara. His runway was lined with models dressed as Kabuki actors wearing attires imbued with rich Ukiyo-e woodblock prints, and offset with light tailoring and large leather tube belts. He also designed some of the most defining looks of David Bowie, a major factor that contributed to the birth of the early '70s artist's Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane personas. Yamamoto described his relationship with the singer in a 2016 interview: "There was some kind of chemical reaction: my garments were part of David, his songs and his music. They became part of the message he was bringing to the world." In 1992 the designer retired with his final collection. David Bowie's costumes from Kansai Yamamoto can be seen at the Museum of Art in Brooklyn. 

One way the designer pushed boundaries on the runways of the 1970s and 1980s was through exaggerated proportions. He used quilting to give his garments dimensionality and delighted in color, once mentioning it was "like oxygen." Some of his most influential work has a pop-slash-glam rock feel. Yamamoto liked to offer a nostalgic twist to imagery taken from Japanese art, particularly the Kabuki theatre — and those were the looks revisited by Nicolas Ghesquière and his creator for the 2018 resort collection by Louis Vuitton.

In other news, Takay, The Japanese photographer, filmed models in Yohji Yamamoto classic uniforms, some with new design twists in an imaginary show with soft and jazzy music and occasional close-up displays to show the details of the signature looks: easily recognizable Yohji styles with the slouchy silhouettes and military uniform garments.

The prolific Japanese designer created some of David Bowie’s most defining looks.

JAPANESE DESIGNER KANSAI YAMAMOTO HAS DIED AT 76

Recently, more news has emerged concerning Apple's rumored augmented reality glasses project, first concerning its pricing information and then indicating that its lenses would be self-adjusting for those who need the prescription ones. Now, the latest patent from the tech giant suggests that you can simply control the Apple Glasses with your eyes, too. 

The system can be controlled using only the eye movements, like long stares and blinks, according to the new patent, which is followed by an exceptionally long text summary. "The present declaration describes methods of using eye contact to communicate with an electronic device," the patent reads. "A wearer uses his eyes to interact with user interface objects displayed on the electronic device according to some embodiments. The techniques offer a more natural and efficient interface by allowing a user to operate the device with mainly eye gazes and eye movements (e.g., eye movement, blinks, and stares) in certain exemplary embodiments. "Providing examples, Apple claims that if a user stares at a particular object or in a long enough direction, the Glasses will detect this and automatically zoom in on the subject. 

There will of course be more conventional ways of operating as well. The patent includes various touch-sensitive surfaces that you can interact with via swipes and taps, while Siri also supports voice command. 

However, to this day, there are no official announcements from Apple regarding its much anticipated AR Glasses, so company fans should stay tuned for further updates to come.

In other news, Takay, The Japanese photographer, filmed models in Yohji Yamamoto classic uniforms for his SS2021 digital show, some with new design twists in an imaginary show with soft and jazzy music and occasional close-up displays to show the details of the signature looks: easily recognizable Yohji styles with the slouchy silhouettes and military uniform garments.

The device will also include touch-sensitive surfaces.

APPLE GLASSES WILL BE CONTROLLED WITH JUST YOUR EYES

Adidas and Yohji Yamamoto have reunited for the second "YY EXCLUSIVE" launch following the debut of the sub-label last summer. The sub-label is distinct from Y-3, which mainly sees Yamamoto upgrading adidas classics, which is true for the latest collection of footwear and apparel. 

This drop includes the "YY WINDBREAKER," "YY PANTS," and "YY SC PREMIERE" sneakers, the latter revamping the low-key archive style in a trio of muted colorways fitted with branded leather tags. Black, white/black and black/red versions are offered along with a range of lightweight polyamide tracksuits featuring two-way zippers, raglan sleeves, contrast stitching and externally emblazoned Yamamoto's signature. His portrait is woven inside. 

Expect the next YY Exclusive drop going live with all three "YY SC PREMIERE" sneakers on THE SHOP Yohji Yamamoto's site on July 17. The "YY WINDBREAKER" and "YY PANTS" will have been released on the same website and Japanese retailers in August.

Meanwhile, during the first-ever Digital Paris Fashion Week, Yamamoto has recently issued a moody SS21 lookbook.

Takay, The Japanese photographer, filmed models in Yohji Yamamoto classic uniforms, some with new design twists in an imaginary show with soft and jazzy music and occasional close-up displays to show the details of the signature looks: easily recognizable Yohji styles with the slouchy silhouettes and military uniform garments.

At times the composition of the fabric is shown, informing the audience about the material of an oversize jacket or deconstructed coat. This time a light grey linen jacket with unbuttoned sleeves and partially opened from the shoulder, hanging loose from the body and black linen suits with faded pout paint print, which felt like a street graffiti washed out. A red long coat had an eyeball shaped 'eye' as buttons and Japanese characters lined numerous coat trims, perhaps indicating fashion's capacity for perception.

Separate from Y-3, this drop focuses on track wear and court sneakers.

YOHJI YAMAMOTO X ADIDAS: THE SECOND "YY EXCLUSIVE" COLLECTION

1017 ALYX 9SM launched a new version of its Buckle necklace — it is only finished in an antique-effect gold-tone and comes with a nod the '70s with a modern laser-engraved nameplate. 

In the 1970s, nameplates were common in New York graffiti and hip-hop cultures as they are synonymous with the bust down jewelry scene and are a popular choice for any discerning drip enthusiast. 

Matthew M Williams, who has been recently appointed as the new creative director of Givenchy, has updated the Buckle necklace - a signature of his label - with a nameplate, reading out the full name of the brand. Turning the necklace around, you'll find a buckle rollercoaster system in black, engraved with technical information and more branding. 

The new piece is made of brass and is covered in a vintage gold-tone effect that is slightly lacquered. Look at the 1017 ALYX 9SM Buckle necklace below, it is retailing for $530 dollars.

"I called ALYX after my daughter and it's all very personal about this project. I was thinking it had to be that way, because, you know, there are so many clothes in the world, so many things about selling actually. I felt like doing a dedicated job, in a lifelong project that needed to be intimate. Every time I think about a collection, it is 'what does it mean to live today,' 'what's important for clothing to be today,' 'how can these pieces be timeless,' I think that's leading me to what those collections look like, and building on the stepping stones we've been leading in the past.' 

1017 ALYX 9SM: SIGNATURE BUCKLE NECKLACE INSPIRED BY THE 70S

Kicking off Milan Fashion Week this season, Prada took the opportunity to break away from conventional models and partner with a variety of leading creatives instead. For Spring/Summer 2021 shows taking place digitally rather than physically across the world, Prada claims that "the opinions of others replace a singular statement." 

In order to do this, the Italian label has displayed its portfolio in five separate chapters, with five films made by various artists and image makers. The creatives selected for the SS21 project are Terence Nance, Joanna Piotrowska, Martine Syms, Juergen Teller, and Willy Vanderperre each of whom concentrated on a particular aspect of the collection and interpreted it in their own way. Vanderperre's inclusion indicated that Raf Simons, as a frequent collaborator, would potentially join Prada house as a co-creative director in the near future. 

At the conclusion of the video show, the collection itself has been presented in a more conventional way. Pieces came in a muted palette of black, brown, white and beige colors, while some womenswear pieces have been featuring in more eye-catching prints. Menswear items came in a tailored style, combining Prada nylon advanced fabrics with conventional suiting. As well as innovative tailoring, the collection also saw workwear-influenced items made of leather, cotton and taffeta, lifting the objects from their origins. Prada Linea Rossa has continued to expose the sportswear-inspired designs of the company. 

The notes of the collection addressed the understated style, "In purity, a radicalism is found" – simplicity vs ambiguity, and an alternative to pointless complication in precision and directness. The contradiction is celebrated: resilience can be found in apparent fragility, by the joy of rigor. A sense of lightness not just of physicality but also of emotion – sportswear dynamism translates throughout a sense of pleasure, strength and fun. A reason for fashion.

For more from this season’s digital fashion weeks, take a look at Yohji Yamamoto's Pour Homme SS2021 filmed by the Japanese photographer Takay.

Showcased by Terence Nance, Joanna Piotrowska, Martine Syms, Juergen Teller and Willy Vanderperre.

PRADA: FIVE CREATIVES TO SHOWCASE SS21 COLLECTION

Luxury e-tailer Mytheresa has launched an exclusive 46-piece menswear capsule line with Gucci, offering ready-to-wear, accessories and footwear alongside the Pre-Fall 2020 line of the brand. 

Typical of Alessandro Michele, the capsule serves us silks, references to the 1970s, and quintessential Gucci touches such as overtly bold "GG" motifs and references to the history of the brand with plenty of horsebit details. 

Mytheresa and Gucci have enlisted the Australian band Parcels to star in a lookbook and a music video, in which they are decked head-to-toe in the new Gucci capsule. Many of the highlights from the exclusive drop include a green Horsebit 1955 duffel bag with gold-tone horsebit buckles, the matching shoulder bag which is basically a smaller version of the previous bag, as well as the double-breasted linen and cotton blazer in "Limestone Yellow" featuring a red and gold vintage cuff tag with Gucci branding alongside a French motto that translates to "Gucci whatever the season." 

Continuing the spirit of retro luxury is a large variety of silks with pocket squares and ties, as well as a two-piece "GG" windowpane motif suit in brown. The accessories and more subtle items from the capsule could be beautifully matched with pretty much anything in the 46-piece collection, which is rounded out with ribbed boots, tailored leather moccasins, a range of cozy hats, turtleneck sweaters, sunglasses and more. 

You can watch Parcels on Mytherea's website in practice. The Mytheresa-exclusive capsule of Gucci Pre-Fall 2020 can now be bought on Mythesa.com.

In other news, Adidas and Yohji Yamamoto‘s long-running Y-3 label presenting their FW20 footwear collection, and one of the main pieces is a new style called the Hicho. A platform take on adidas Originals‘ iconic Campus, the Hicho serves as Y-3's court shoe for the autumn season, elevating a classical style both figuratively and literally for a completely innovative look.

Presenting a 46-piece capsule designed by Alessandro Michele.

GUCCI X MYTHERESA CAPSULE: 70S TAILORING, SILKS AND HOUSE TRADITIONS

The menswear icon's Fall/Winter 2020 campaign combines the stunning and the sinister. The set of images, shot by Simons' frequent collaborator, Willy Vanderperre, is an aesthetically delicious slice of psychedelic sci-fi. Lone figures remain in endless wild grass fields, as the skies of violet and fuschia extend above them. The colorwork is mind-blowing, and the designs of Simons – mostly well-cut black with the occasional, interesting (faux) fur appearance – provide an exquisite contrast. 

Those solitary young men feel like interplanetary explorers, an envoy sent to find a new home from a dying earth. The reappearance of a faux-fur hand muff printed with the expression "Solar Youth" seems to reinforce this relation and to give a sense of urgency to the tendency of Simons to cryptic sloganing. They may be looking for a new light, or an unpolluted atmosphere but their mission does not seem hopeful: they are not at home, while they are in a beautiful environment. That planet is lifeless and barren. Their emotional state is remote and abstract; they look alone. The campaign has a prophetic meaning to it. We are killing the earth with style, and nowhere is left to go. 

Less than a week ago, Simons revealed his Archive Redux, a special set consisting of 100 pieces reissued from his collections over the last 25 years. The project has shown pride in the past, an artist trusting in his own development. The initiative will put that faith into tension with an uncertain future. As an artist, the future can only be positive: this campaign's sheer artistry shows Simons at the height of his creative abilities, with no signs of slowing down. Yet it's hard to look into the future as a human being, and not be afraid. We are all well aware of this moment's precariousness on Earth, though it would be difficult to behave like this. The advertisement reflects this ambiguity perfectly, the simultaneous excitement of the present moment and the awareness of the imminent disaster. Raf Simons encourages us to always come back to our shared humanity when we move into this alien world – that's what is really beautiful.

Raf Simons Creative Director | Raf Simons

Models | Luca Lemaire, David Musefano, & Lennert De Lathauwer

In other news, Yohji Yamamoto's first digital collection has been shown last Friday within men's Paris Fashion Week.

Raf Simons looks toward an uncertain future with his most recent campaign.

"This picture is very different from the one before the moment. We are in the midst of an awakening, "reads the press release of the Julius Spring/Summer 2021 collection, consisting of earth-toned clothing that remind of a cross between Jedi outfits and fairy tale nomads. Initially called "Harvest," the collection has been renamed "[mamuthones;]" in the light of the coronavirus pandemic, reflecting a more moody theme: ancient Italian pagan deities identified by the Japanese brand as "God of Harvest messengers in this world. A grieving spirit for all the sorrow."

"[DUKKHA;]," "[mamuthones;]" offers proportion-shifting layers rich in texture provided by organic fabrics, as in Fall/Winter 2020. Anchored by Julius heavyweight boots, woven cardigans, lengthy linen coats and huge hoodies shroud the wearer's torso while drop crotch shorts and easy cropped pants provide comfort in the heat of summer. Throughout, distressed knitwear appears, lending the wrinkly military blousons a rough-hewn edge, oversized graphic T-shirts, and shortened leather jackets from the Japanese brand. 

"In" [Harvest] "the concept of happiness is instantly permeated, reestablishing its meaning," the Julius team statement explains. "It was a fertile world where fresh young leaves sprouted in chaotic fashion, magnificent spiritual restitution. But as we experience an unprecedented catastrophe, all changes. Even the person needs to rethink his or her role and establish a whole new organic relationship with the universe. However, this tragedy gives many people a chance to become awakened. A world driven insane by consumption is about to freeze and be reborn in an organic form."

In other news, Takay, the Japanese photographer, filmed models in Yohji Yamamoto classic uniforms, some with new design twists in an imaginary show with soft and jazzy music and occasional close-up displays to show the details of the signature looks: easily recognizable Yohji styles with the slouchy silhouettes and military uniform garments.

Sweeping ponchos, cloaks and capes cut from raw-hemmed cotton and linen.

JULIUS SS21: RAGGED JEDI MEETS FAIRY TALE NOMADS

It was bound to be such an event with Pablo Picasso, Freddie Mercury, Bernie Sanders and Elon Musk on the runway, and the Obamas and Queen Elizabeth II among front-row guests. 

Colm Dillane let his imagination go wild for his first official appearance on the Paris calendar — making something that would never have been possible in real life, thanks to the digital format. 

His stop-motion film featuring decapitated Barbie dolls, their heads replaced by 3-D-printed renditions of Dillane's heroes, recreated the runway experience in miniature, reprising something that this week is becoming a bit of a theme. 

His dolls wore miniature looks in Dillane's lively, irreverent street-style signature patchwork, this season featuring appliqué noses and eyes, figurative embroidery, and vivid tie-dye and paint effects. 

The miniaturization of the looks gave them exaggerated proportions, for example, the thickness of the fabrics that gave them weight for the size of the garments, as on a broken green wool coat and a crochet logo sweater. The idea is to reproduce the looks in human-sized versions come September and it remains to be seen how their proportions will be translated. 

That aside, Dillane has certainly succeeded in creating something of a real fashion show's excitement in a way that this week has been badly lacking. His film felt like a true event to discover.

Most recently, on Friday the 10th of July, Takay, the Japanese photographer, filmed models in Yohji Yamamoto classic uniforms for his Summer Spring 2021 season, some with new design twists in an imaginary show with soft and jazzy music and occasional close-up displays to show the details of the signature looks: easily recognizable Yohji styles with the slouchy silhouettes and military uniform garments.

More shows to come tomorrow, on the last day of this first-ever men's digital Paris Fashion Week. Stay tuned!

Colm Dillane's surreal miniature world offered something of the excitement of a real-life fashion show — complete with Queen Elizabeth II and the Obamas in the front row.

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