As consumers become more savvy and lifestyles more diverse, designers such as Hidenori Kumakiri are responding by creating pieces that can be worn in multiple ways, doubling or even tripling their versatility. Kumakiri has developed this into a concept that he calls “Double-End,” driven by innovative patternmaking and bias cutting. For his fall women’s collection, he pushed the idea even further with a mix of East and West.
The Beautiful People designer used delicately embroidered kimono silk to create a dress inspired by the traditional Japanese style. But when flipped upside down on the body, it becomes a shorter, cape-style dress with a bow at the neck. In other examples, a kimono coat turns into a cape with a frayed collar, and an obi was used to create a dual-style skirt that goes between an ankle-length version and a shorter, more structured style.
Continuing with the East meets West theme, Kumakiri’s textiles incorporated a variety of traditional Japanese techniques and motifs. His original, allover prints were inspired by family crests, and he also utilized traditional shashiko-style embroidery, which was developed as a method of repairing or reinforcing worn-out clothing. The muted, neutral tones of the fabrics were also inspired by Japanese aesthetics.
Kumakiri presented his latest collection with a series of photos of model fittings, as well as a stop-motion video made from similar images. The film plays like an artistic documentary, explaining some of the pieces and the designer’s ideas. And while the collection was unique and beautiful enough to stand on its own, this added layer of information about the possible transformations of the clothes inspires even more appreciation for the thought that clearly went into them.