sacai’s founder and designer, Chitose Abe explores the idea that ‘ The more simple we are, the more complete we become.’

Sculpting new shapes out of familiar clothes, whose structural complexity is belied by their apparent simplicity and ease of wearing, reflecting the ‘at once gentle and strong’, elegant femininity that’s at the heart of her house, gentle, soft sculptures envelope the wearer’s body – new silhouettes formed by unexpected pattern cutting and construction, slashes and cuts, and an off-center asymmetry.

Born of circular pattern cutting, gentle cocoons and balloons take shape to form new unusual silhouettes, their intellectual technique countered by their application to familiar clothing archetypes and ‘non-precious’ fabrics like denim and shirting. A shirt gets its volume from its circular building blocks; a fair isle sweater is inverted, with its circular pattern making the foundation for the garments structure, re- imagined as an almost sphere-like form. 

Re-visiting sacai’s signature hybridization, alongside its lingerie heritage, camisoles and slip dresses are attached to their outer coat / shirt components to make a new shape, while introducing the allure of a three-dimensional opening, fixed in its place, all with an easy, relaxed attitude that’s associated with ‘one-piece’ dressing. Movement comes from sheer chiffon and fringed skirts that juxtapose and ground the structure above them.

Cuts and slashes become an alternative shape-shifting device, transforming familiar silhouettes into something new, as the fabric drops to create seductive openings. What’s familiar as the front of a garment, shifts to one side, to make for an off- center, playfully askew take on familiar clothes.

And the underlying message that underpins and forms the foundation of Abe’s thinking?

Always, irrefutably, and forever, ‘Love is best.’