Junya Watanabe

 

Junya Watanabe was born in Fukushima, Japan in 1961. He graduated from Bunka Fashion college in 1984. He soon began an apprenticeship with Comme des Garcons but was later promoted to chief designer of Tricot knitwear line.

He later then moved on to design for the Comme Des Garcons Home line. Under Comme Des Garcons name he started his own line called Junya Watanabe in 1993, that same year he began showing in Paris. In 1994 was when he launched his own label.

His designs changed dramatically each season where he mainly looked at futuristic designs. He likes to create random tucking, pleating and ruching.

'He is particularly interested in synthetic and technologically advanced textiles and fabrics... but also used more traditional materials such as cotton. Watanabe is often considered to be a 'techno couture' designer, creating unusually structured clothes out of modern, technical materials.'

 

Watanabe is collaborating with Loewe in 2013/2014 to create capsule collections of clothing and accessories. This is the year Spain and Japan attempt to strengthen and promote cultural, economic and social relations between two countries. The first pieces will be shown during Paris fashion week.

 

What I like about Watanabes collections is his use of pleating and draping the materials around the body where he creates a slouch look. His work has a very dark feel to it with the models faces being completly covered. I am however, not sure why they have shoe shape figures on their heads.

I also enjoy his use of structure because it creates a futuristic feel to his work, he uses alot of padding to emphasise this. Some of his collections would not look suitable for every day use!