Dandyism, decadence and a taste of rebellion at Junya Watanabe's vision of Paris
PARIS — A new kind of dandy took over Junya Watanabe's runway on Friday — not the traditional gentleman, but a sharp-dressed rebel with a streak of punk at Paris Fashion Week .
Watanabe, the pioneering Japanese designer known for mixing classic tailoring with a wild, creative edge, unveiled a lineup of bold, offbeat looks at the Lycée Carnot. The show was sharp but rebellious, rich in history but full of energy. It wasn't about looking back. It was an explosion of new ideas.
Watanabe has built his reputation by smashing the line between elegance and rebellion. This season, he didn't just mix old and new, he turned history into a weapon. His spring men's collection borrowed from the past — rich brocades, jacquards and a hint of Rococo flair — but reimagined them with a bold, punk attitude. Jackets worthy of Venetian nobility were paired with rugged workwear and raw denim, creating looks that felt both grand and streetwise.
The music followed the same energy, starting with a traditional piano piece breaking down into a thumping city beat. Classic style was pulled apart and rebuilt right on the runway. Some outfits showed off sharp, careful tailoring, but the order quickly fell away — seams went crooked, sashes trailed loose, wild patterns took over. Even the ties broke free, knotted multiple times in ways that broke from tradition.
Despite the wild mix of styles, the show was more than just patchwork. Watanabe was making a statement about taste itself — a constant tug-of-war between old ideas and breaking the rules. Familiar touches — a monk's robe, the rooftops of Florence — were turned into clever fashion puzzles.
Throughout the collection, Watanabe's eye for detail and contradiction remained. He's known for boldly mixing sharp tailoring with street style, blending Japanese tradition with punk energy. This season, he sharpened that approach into clothes that were both smart and full of electricity, pieces that challenged the idea of what it means to dress well.
By the end, the dandy wasn't just a gentleman —he was sharper, braver, both thinker and rebel.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Taylor Swift's Little Black Dress Stole the Show at Surprise Appearance with BF Travis Kelce
Taylor Swift always brings the fashion inspo. Earlier this week, the Eras hitmaker showed up for a surprise performance in Nashville at her NFL boyfriend Travis Kelce's Tight Ends & Friends concert, where she performed her 2014 hit "Shake It Off" alongside country singer Chase Rice. For the event, which took place at the Brooklyn Bowl, Swift was seen wearing a sleek $495 LBD from one of her favorite L.A. labels, EB Denim, which is currently sold out on their website. The strappy ensemble included a fitted corset top and a pleated mini skirt, which have become a regular part of her rotation over the past few years. On her feet were the $1,900 knee-high boots from Manolo Blahnik she was previously seen wearing while attending the Kansas City Chiefs' matchup against the Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium in December 2024. Accessorizing her ensemble with a necklace from Steven Battelle and $4,100 diamond stud earrings from Maria Tash, she also opted for Louis Vuitton's $4,000 Side Trunk PM as her bag of choice. Fans went crazy upon seeing Swift pop up in surprise fashion. "Close enough—welcome back Eras Tour!!" one commented, with another adding, "I would've gone into cardiac arrest." Then there was this bold prediction, "She's gonna go back to country. I'm calling it now." And with the NFL season soon approaching, there are sure to be many more viral appearances from the singer that get the conversation going. Want all the latest entertainment news sent right to your inbox? Click here. How Much Did Taylor Swift Pay to Buy Back Her Music? The Answer May Surprise You
Vogue
36 minutes ago
- Vogue
Lauren Sánchez Bezos's Ongoing Fashion Fascination with Sophia Loren
By her own admission, Lauren Sánchez Bezos did not marry Jeff Bezos in the kind of gown she initially envisioned. Originally, she told Vogue's Chloe Malle that she had visions of a strapless dress. But after going on a Blue Origin space flight to the Kárman line, both her perspective about her life—and style—shifted. 'It went from 'I want a simple, sexy modern dress' to 'I want something that evokes a moment,' and where I am right now. I am a different person than I was five years ago,' she said. So, she researched pictures of brides from the 1950s. One in particular stuck with her: Sophia Loren's wedding dress from the 1958 movie Houseboat. 'I said, 'That's it. That's the dress.'' After several conversations with Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, Dolce & Gabbana made her a high lace neck mermaid-line gown with 180 hand-finished, silk chiffon-covered buttons that took over 1900 hours to make. 'The whole thing was like a dream,' Sánchez says. Loren's original—and fictional—dress was made by legendary costume designer Edith Head, who received eight Academy Awards (as well as a total of 35 nominations) and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her work with Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures. She's known for crafting the clothes worn by Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday and Breakfast at Tiffany's, Grace Kelly in To Catch a Thief, and Gloria Swanson in Sunset Boulevard. Sophia Loren's wedding dress, designed by Edith Head, as seen in the 1958 film Houseboat. Photo: Courtesy Everett Collection Domenico Dolce puts a veil on Lauren Sánchez Bezos. Photo: Courtesy of Lauren Sánchez Bezos The back of Lauren Sánchez Bezos's wedding dress by Dolce & Gabbana. Photo: Courtesy of Lauren Sánchez Bezos Although Loren has been a consistent style inspiration for Sánchez. In April, Sánchez attended the 2025 Breakthrough Prize in a 1994 John Galliano dress once worn by the Fellini muse. On a now-deleted Instagram post (Sanchez cleared her profile after officially marrying Bezos) she called her an 'icon of strength and timeless beauty.' It seems likely that Sánchez may have more Old Hollywood fashion nods up her (long lace) sleeves.
Washington Post
37 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Rei Kawakubo redefines men's suits with radical designs at Paris Fashion Week
PARIS — Rei Kawakubo , the ever-restless force behind Comme des Garçons , delivered a characteristically unpredictable twist on men's tailoring, dismantling the traditional suit and remaking it in her own radical image. Titled 'Not Suits, But Suits,' the Paris Fashion Week show had models striding through a packed, overheated concrete venue Friday evening in looks that both nodded to and defied the idea of formalwear. Classic suit elements, jackets, lapels, pressed trousers, were reimagined with sharp, architectural interventions: bulging hips, layered or panniered silhouettes, and unexpected splashes of color. Some jackets appeared as if spliced apart and reassembled, while skinny pants revealed hidden panels and bursts of pattern through carefully placed zippers. Layering abounded, with cropped jackets stacked over pleated shirting, kilts and shorts. Knitwear was shredded and reconstructed, echoing a sense of disorder within the tailored frame. Accessories pushed the eccentricity further — models wore oversized, multi-brimmed caps crafted from suiting fabrics, paired with long braided wigs and formal shoes. The collection evoked the need for something transformative in unsettled times. Its atmosphere only heightened the collection's message: in Kawakubo's world, the suit is not a uniform of conformity but a canvas for disruption. As guests spilled out into the night, applause rang out for a designer who continues to turn fashion's certainties inside out.
