Kolor Men’s Fall 2021
Junichi Abe sent his vibrant fall collection down a runway in the Happo-en garden of Tokyo, and livestreamed the show. Night had fallen and the models could be seen working their way through a winding, tree-lined pathway, dimly lit in blue. When they stepped onto the well-lit runway, the colors suddenly sprang to life.
Overall, it was actually a more muted palette than usual, but that made the brightly hued accents stand out even stronger — the red stripes lining a rich suede bomber, say, or a patch of turquoise mesh affixed to the breast of a suit coat. This season was an exercise of minimalism for Abe, and classic styles dominated: long trenchcoats, traditional wool blazers, cardigans and ample, pleated trousers in pale beige and olive tones, various shades of gray and deep browns.
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That was the base to which he applied his magic, splicing and dicing bits of technical sportswear, knit sweaters, the panel of a suit jacket, the collar of a uniform shirt, a shrunk-down vest — you name it. He continued his recent experiment in shrinkage and layering, tossing a vibrant green kid-sized puffer jacket with adult-lengthed arms over a houndstooth coat and a sporty pullover.
Much of this experimentation felt like embellishment — a jumble of lace, ribbons and polka dots highlighting a shoulder, or an extra collar framing the face — which was an interesting development at a time when his longtime pursuit of patching together disparate pieces feels so relevant, with the upcycling movement giving rise to more eclectic styles.
Footwear, another Abe specialty, was extra-appealing: those colorfully layered sneakers, the white ones, too, and studded loafers. Eye-catching, all of it, even through the screen.
Launch Gallery: Kolor Men's Fall 2021
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