Last week, in celebration of six iconic Yohji Yamamoto looks on view in its TriBeCa store, La Garçonne hosted an intimate cocktail reception full of Japanese fashion, design, and sake. For Yamamoto’s first retrospective in the United States, La Garçonne owners Kris and Da Kim sourced six runway looks from Yamamoto himself, and displayed them evenly throughout the store’s space. Varying from different seasons, the six looks personified the epitome of Yamamoto’s influential style—oversized silhouettes, varying textures, and unique drapery.
Upon arriving, we were greeted with Look 7 from spring/summer 2008—a high-waisted, billowing, asymmetrical, and six-tiered ball skirt paired with a black collared shirt apron that closed on the top right shoulder, with a side shirttail that hung opposite to the long side of the skirt. Next to each piece was a description from La Garçonne on its importance, and for this look, keywords like “saucer-like layered crinoline skirts” and “lyrical drapery” stood out.
Courtesy of La Garçonne
Other pieces included: Look 13 from spring/summer 2016—a construction of deconstruction in a layering, knotted pairing of a dress, parasol, and shirt; Look 4 and Look 36 from spring/summer 2015—an example of Yamamoto’s break into the taboo of eroticism, in which he said, “There’s such a delicate balance in figuring out the right degree of exposure for a woman’s body,”; Look 37 from autumn/winter 2003-2004—a masculine and feminine juxtaposition of militarism and Parisian flair in a black and white houndstooth crinoline dress; and Look 40 from autumn/winter 2006-2007—a large black menswear-like protective jacket with a V-neck and buttons.
“It started about 10 years ago,” said Da of his and Kris’ relationship with Yamamoto, which blossomed when La Garçonne was only an online store at the time. After taking a trip to Paris in the early stages of their retail business, the couple approached Yamamoto to see the collection in their studio in Paris, and have kept a strong relationship with the designer ever since.
Courtesy of La Garçonne
At La Garçonne, one can find other like-minded designers filling the stores hangers, but for now, it’s Yamamoto filling the space.
