Kidill Men’s Fall 2022
Hiroaki Sueyasu named his latest offering “The Outsider” after Henry Darger, who posthumously became known as a celebrated outsider artist. The designer incorporated some of Darger’s works as prints and motifs throughout the collection, while also using them as inspiration for his color palette and silhouettes. The artist’s tendency to depict idyllic, flowered landscapes in his fantastical, sometimes horrific imagery also informed Sueyasu’s choice of venue for his fall show: a historic mansion in Tokyo with a manicured garden behind it.
Taking inspiration from Darger’s “Vivian Girls” while also following his own tendency to create genderless looks with both masculine and feminine elements, Sueyasu showed pink skirts and long shirts trimmed in ribbons, ruffles and tulle alongside loose, two-tone trousers decorated with oversize grommets. Darger’s florals and innocent-looking children were splashed across long, dress-like shirts and knit into cardigans and pullovers, and were contrasted with punk-inspired checked suits and long, voluminous coats.
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A pair of full-body jumpsuits were so complete that they zipped up over the face to reveal tangles of yarn as “hair,” while gloves were attached to the sleeves with zippers. These were followed by a series of bomber jackets, relaxed fitting suits, and coordinating separates in allover prints of Darger imagery. Aside from the knitwear, the fabrics were soft and supple, but still had a weight to them, which Sueyasu said he chose in order to not make the clothes seem too summery.
Sueyasu said he was drawn both to the duplicitousness of Darger’s works, as well as to his story as an outsider: “I think if his art were to be used in fashion, it wouldn’t make sense for it to be used by a major, mainstream brand,” he said. “I think one reason I got permission to use it was because I am a bit of an outsider myself in the fashion world.”
Launch Gallery: Kidill Men's Fall 2022
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