POWER DRESSING has been a much-celebrated trend of the season, with hordes of designers adopting the feature in their collection, and Junya Watanabe joined the club with his AW18 collection at PFW. Taking his usual experimental approach, the collection develops the power-dressing aesthetic, manipulating oversized blazers to alter the traditional silhouettes. Playing with proportion, sleeves have ruched, elongated and flared, paired with skinny leggings to emphasise the sizing disposition.
Influence from ‘80s fashion is clear, with power dressing being an iconic trend of the era. Spandex leggings in vibrant colours feature heavily throughout the collection also. Synonymous with ‘80s fashion, the leggings are paired with the tailored blazers resulting in a work-on-the-top, aerobics-on-the-bottom look. Touches of ‘90s trends come in the form of Buffalo trainers and platform sneakers. However, contemporary design shines through the nostalgic influences. Bold pattern cutting has resulted in asymmetric draping, crisp pleating and advanced deconstruction. Technical outerwear also enhances the modernity whilst appealing to the streetwear trend phenomenon.
Juxtaposition between masculinity and femininity is carried throughout the collection. Feminine embroidery adorns M1 bomber and baseball jackets. Subdued tones of grey and stone are conflicting with dainty floral and animal print. Traditional knit garments bring another print to the collection, making a graphic statement due to the oversized proportions.
by Todd Burns