KUON FW21 Examines Japan's Edo Period in Ode to Optimism
Introducing elegant homegrown fabrics to relaxed silhouettes.
Shinichiro Ishibashi’s vision for KUON sees the melding of traditional Japanese codes with contemporary menswear silhouettes, approachable garments elevated by the designer’s appreciation of fine, hands-on craft. This motif resurfaces for Fall/Winter 2021, as the label incorporates themes from Japan’s Edo period into its latest seasonal selection, yielding a rich variety of textural layering pieces driven by Ishibashi’s desire to make clothing that’s both deeply personal and fun to wear.
Inspired by the ingenuity of Edo-era merchant-class citizens, Ishibashi restricted this offering’s color palette to brown, indigo and gray, investigating the dynamisms offered by each tone. Therein, Japanese washi paper, brushed knit, fuzzy wool and KUON’s signature boro patchwork toy with different styles of textural intrigue, transforming various robes, suits, sweaters, peacoats and side-lined slacks.
Motivated by a desire to bolster the wearer’s mobility, Ishibashi also loosened up the silhouettes this season, with everything from camp collar shirts to work pants to cardigans realized in effortlessly loose shapes equally useful for cozying up indoors or exploring the outside. This duality is further realized by way of the models’ footwear and the outfits that contrast distinct stylistic elements, like the velvet overalls layered beneath a silk satin parka.
Peruse the forthcoming wares from KUON’s website and look for stockists like DAN, Sus4Cus and napsnote to offer the FW21 collection later this year.
Elsewhere in Japan, new collections were previewed by hobo, TIGHTBOOTH and BAL.
