Kansai Yamamoto returns to the London catwalk
- Published
The Japanese designer Kansai Yamamoto made a return to the London catwalk for the first time since 1971.
The show, a V&A Fashion in Motion event, presented archive and specially made pieces spanning Yamamoto’s four-decade career highlighted by his trademark use of kaleidoscopic colour.
Yamamoto is probably best known for his flamboyant creations for David Bowie's 1973 Aladdin Sane tour.
The performance opened with Yamamoto's own interpretation of kurokos (Japanese stage hands) revealing three of the most iconic Bowie outfits - the black, white and red face pattern satin jumpsuit, the black striped bodysuit and the knitted one-legged zig-zag jumpsuit.
Born in 1944, Kansai Yamamoto was the first Japanese designer to stage a fashion show in London. He launched his first collection in the capital causing an immediate sensation gaining critical acclaim in the fashion press.
Harpers & Queen described it as: “The Show of the Year… a spectacular coup de theatre.”
"Fashion in Motion brings catwalk couture to a wider audience by modelling it against the beautiful backdrop of the Museum," says the V&A. One audience member reflected the traditional Japanese elements of the show.
Yamamoto's unique fusion of traditional and contemporary fashion was most prominently demonstrated by a strapless gown with an electronic tablet encased in the bodice.
The gown was richly illustrated with a design inspired by Under the Wave off Kanagawa (The Great Wave) probably the most iconic Japanese artwork in the world, created in the 1830s by Hokusai.
Yamamoto, also well known for his ‘super-shows’, gave the V&A audience a small taste of such productions which combine fashion with music, dance and entertainment on a large scale.
The concept behind Yamamoto's show was the spirit of Basara - which means to behave in a carefree manner with beauty and splendour.
Fashion in Motion is a continuing series of live catwalk events presented at the V&A museum, London. All photos: Emma Lynch/BBC.