Sacai

(jacket tried on at shop, Sacai)

Whilst working at a boutique in London, I got to try on some pieces (mostly jackets as I could just slip them on over my clothes) when the shop was quiet. The brands ranged from Haider Ackermann to Moschino and Jil Sander to Alexander Wang. All were beautiful but there was one jacket that really stood out in the sea of sartorial wonders. It was a biker jacket by Sacai crafted out of a Prince of Wales check wool with a stiff but rounded shape. I love biker jackets, but what made this one special was the interesting design details: there were black buckled straps at the side, layered stripes of fabric on the arm, chunky silver zips and, the most eye-cathing detail of all was that at the back the fabric was sort of ruched and gathered at the bottom with alternating folds of white lizard skin material. It's jackets like these that are wearable, practical and stylish but have clever and unique details that make me admire the designer who created them.

So when I got home I looked into the brand Sacai. The name rang a bell but I have never really looked into the clothes until now... and oh am I happy to have discovered this gem. It was created by a japanese woman, Chitose Abe, in 1999 after working for Junya Watanabe at Comme des Garcons. I like her clothes because they are intriguing and innovative in design but still wearable and timeless unlike a lot of the pieces by other japanese designers like Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto which can look unattractive on the female body and frankly a bit silly. Here is what is says about the brand on the website:

"While her collections may appear to be about femininity, Abe’s interest is in creating clothes that are entirely unique and timeless, innovative and experimental. Juxtapositions of contrasting textures of fabrics such as knits with super fine wovens and usage of techniques based on reinterpretations of patterns of the garment transform the pieces into unexpected shapes and silhouettes.  To Abe, who is influenced by observing her surroundings and functions of daily life, the Sacai collection has a distinctive elegance that is based on renderings and transformations of basic and classical items. The result is a collection of items that can transition easily between various occasions and not only reserved for special opportunities."   
(from www.sacai.jp)

Here I am going to share with you a few of my favourite looks from her most recent show, S/S 2013

           
                                                           

    

    

    

    

           

    

(Please ignore the wonky photos, I couldn't get them in line!)

With love,

Thais