The highly striking and fathomless label of Yohji Yamamoto previewed their latest POUR HOMME Spring/Summer 2023 Collection earlier today amongst the traffic of Paris Fashion Week. Renowned for his avant-garde tailoring, this collection showcased Yamamoto’s knowledge of Japanese design aesthetics while still allowing him the space to remain true to his original intention.

Yamamoto proclaimed that his intention for this collection was “to take off my old clothing and try new colors, new inspiration, it was very joyful to make this collection, but it was very dangerous.”

For Yamamoto, his brand and the attribution of the name “POUR HOMME,” which translates to “for men,” allows him to express his overall worldview of men. His perception is that “men who do not know themselves” have a free spirit without being bound by social norms. Claiming that “these guys” are dandy but have some comical uniqueness.

With loosely tailored suits in the shades of deep blue, charcoal gray, ivory, and of course, black, the designer successfully branched off from his previous all-black collections. Some suits featured striking rectangles of various tweeds for a patchwork effect and paint-like prints.

With phrases such as “I hate you,” “shitty life,” “lonesome,” and “what are you made of?” embroidered in white on the fitted jackets, accompanied by the daunting dead eye glares into the camera from the models, it seemed to add an element of performance art to the already potent looks. By making stunning use of texture, detailing, and layering, Yamamoto created depth while still maintaining a level of lighthearted comedic appeal.

Watch the full show below: