Giuliano Fujiwara Spring/Summer 2010
The Japanese brand offers a colorful take on the minimalist trend
by Richard Prime
Regarded as a key player in minimalist tailoring, Japanese label Giuliano Fujiwara presented an invigorated spring/summer collection at Milan earlier this month. A subtle, gray palette tempered by cherry red, acid yellow and bold blue accents commanded the runway, making for a perfectly restrained collection of avant-garde fashions.
Originally spearheaded by Yoshiaki Fujiwara, the quarter-century old label is now helmed by Masataka Matsumura, whose approach combines past traditions with the latest technological advances in tailoring, materials and construction. Central to Guiliano Fujiwara, the ancient Japanese notion of wabi sabi—that beauty is imperfect, impermanent and incomplete—shows up in Matsumura’s fusion of techniques, resulting in a brilliant collection of beautifully tailored, slightly off-balance, asymmetrical garments.
The designer describes his work as the “beauty of the shadow,” finding new shapes from styles that seem askew, yet are essentially concealed on the other side of shining beauty. This recent collection makes a good case for the strategy with oversize proportions, inside-out jackets and shirts, and optical illusions at the neckline.
A colorful alternative to the equally creative but darker minimalistic brands like Rick Owens and Damir Doma, the Giuliano Fujiwara spring/summer 2010 collection has many excited for the future of the brand.
