UNDERCOVER Women's Returns With Sophisticated Rebellion for "COLD FLAME" FW22
There’s a cold fire smoldering deep within us.
UNDERCOVER has just debuted its Fall/Winter 2022 women’s collection.
For those scratching their heads wondering why it feels so long since Jun Takahashi last presented a womenswear collection in Paris, it is because it has been four years since the last runway show due to a shift in attention as well as the ongoing pandemic — Takahashi has expressed many times after FW18’s “WE ARE INFINITE” for his longing to return to the French capital. Debuted at Tokyo’s Yoyogi Stadium was the FW22 “COLD FLAME” collection. The name describes the collection’s rebellious spirit imbued within dark sophisticated silhouettes, as well as the cold fire smoldering deep within us that’s set ablaze from time to time.
Presented in stages, the first set of looks were scored to Charles Mingus’ “Myself When I Am Real” where a row of black dresses with strategic slits and elegant gold accents marched down the runway. The flow of black elegance then transitioned to faux-fur adorned with gradient reds and floral prints. The sexiness was there, poking out through the absence of material, suggestive lines, and fishnets. Pure white ensembles marked with red roses eventually arrived, symbolizing peace and calmness before more gold along with purples and light blues matched with billowy outerwear and razor blade belts broke up the monochromatic looks.
The show switched paces with the arrival of Klaus Nomi’s “The Cold Song,” where the rebellious spirit began to pick up. Takahashi’s years of menswear tailoring were exercised fully for an array of pinstripe suits, high waist pants, and black ties. This would not have been an UNDERCOVER take on formalwear without the peace pins, face shrouds, metal studded brogues, and incorporation of multiple leather straps. The show eventually went full punk mode with the introduction of tartan trench coats as well as riveted double riders jackets. This was not the final transition, as shortly after, the plumes came out in a number of chic boudoir-style dresses complete with jewel ornamentation, heart beadwork, and the reappearance of fishnets.
In other fashion news, STRONGTHE’s FW22 collection notes not all ghosts are bad.
