Rainmaker FW23 Blends Introspection With Impressionist Art

For the latest collection from Rainmaker for the Fall/Winter 2023 season, founder/creative director, Kohichi Watanabe, rummaged around his own head. Given, it’s not a newfound practice for designers to meditate on their own experiences when it comes to crafting a new collection. But the mere reality that everyone has their own unique experience makes for the practice to remain undeniably unique. Unveiled during Tokyo Fashion Week, the recesses of Watanabe’s mind came to the surface in a calm, yet blissfully poetic arrangement.

Coupled with Watanabe’s own experiences and outlook on the world was an insertion of impressionist styles of ukiyo-e artists from Japan’s Edo period. With it, collection pieces were bathed in buttery shades of beige, wheat, stone blue, classic black, olive green, white and cardinal red. But what was evermore romantic about the collection was its commitment to form and tradition – all through a contemporary lens.

An obvious standout was the brand’s signature kimono styling that seeped into wrap jacket constructions, select tops and belts. Even if the garment itself did not appear with a wrapped belt detail, additional styling placed the wrapped fabrics on belts on refined suiting. Whether it was a suit, relaxed pants, wide-cut tops or even knitwear, the garments’ structures allotted for an elevated and streamlined shape that moved with every step.

As usual with Rainmaker, details remain paramount as quilts with pure silk padding came to be through full garments and detailed side pieces alongside taught colored veils and cultural hats. Bringing the collection was its video presentation, which was shot in Miho of the Shizuoka prefecture.

Take a look at the collection in the gallery above.

In related news, Balmain men’s FW23 wakes a “Sleeping Giant.”