A fashion show of Y-3 F/W 2009-2010
While Hong Kong movie star Andy Lau had fans and paparazzi crawling all over the new Y-3 China flagship store for its opening at Shanghai Golden Eagle Square earlier this week, I was more interested in checking out the clothes on display.
Y-3, a collaborative partnership between Yohji Yamamoto, one of my favorite Japanese designers, and sports brand Adidas, was anything but a disappointment.
I love Yamamoto because, unlike some Chinese fashion designers who get carried away with their Asian background and saturate everything in Chinese red and embroidery, his designs offer a clean, fresh look, while still drawing on his Japanese heritage.
His collection does not instantly conjure up images of women dressed in kimonos, but it does manage to evoke a very oriental sense of cool, calm elegance.
This year, Yamamoto has rendered Shanghai in black. Splashing everything in sleek, dark shades, his line exudes a sophisticated yet daringly mysterious feel. Compared to his independent collections, the Y-3 line is more practical and easy to wear, touting comfort over cutting-edge style.
As Adidas makes up the other half of this fashion equation, comfort has to be key.
The women's Fall/Winter line incorporates a more masculine shape to give the clothes a sharper edge. It adopts loose-fitting yet precise, tailor-cut pieces, as seen in the short button-up duffle coat and swallowtail jacket, a personal favorite of mine.
Extra large pockets lined with delicate stripes are one of the signature marks of this collection, which cleverly expresses the designer's understanding of sport and style.
Other stores worth visiting at Shanghai Golden Eagle Square include:
D-mop: The first D-mop flagship store is now open. Occupying roughly 400 sq m, the store houses hundreds of international brands, including Bernhard Willhelm, Matthew Williamson, Rue du Mail, Anne Valerie Hash, Jessica Trosman, Kris Van Assche and John Lawrence Sullivan.
McQ: The store was established by Alexander McQueen in 2006. It is a denim-based ready-to-wear line under a new label. The collection includes denim cuts for men and women along with a mix of accessories.
See by Chloe: This line harps on the denim and jersey successes of the main Chloe line by complimenting the name with a younger spirit, pegged to bold, independent print styles.
BLUES HEROS: Developed using high-quality denims and premium Italian leather, the brand produces quality washed-leather jackets. With a focus on practicality and adaptability, these mould to your form with increased wear.
Shanghai Golden Eagle Square
278 Shaanxi Road N.
10 am - 10 pm
陕西北路278�上海金鹰广场
