Basking in the glow of the city of love, Paris, Shinpei Yamagishi, the Creative Director behind Bed j.w. Ford, brings a refreshing wave to the world of menswear. In the Spring/Summer 2024 collection, Yamagishi, always admired for his stylistic tenacity, uses the allure of femininity to craft a new narrative for men’s clothing. From the unassuming freedom of women’s fashion, Yamagishi draws inspiration to sculpt a collection that sings a melodious tune of liberty, imagination, and joyful style to his audience.
The appeal of women’s wear is its inherent sense of fluidity and self-expression, and Yamagishi’s fascination with this notion is the creative cornerstone of his latest offering. Delving into this inspiration, Yamagishi’s mission was not to mimic women’s fashion by incorporating frills and flounces, but to transport the ethos of freedom, versatility, and imaginative creativity to his menswear designs.
Yamagishi’s refreshing perspective hinged on a dexterous fusion of subtle tailoring and flamboyant styling. To set the tone for this collection, the designer artfully employed an array of shiny tweeds, sequins, and bold stripes. Notably, a beige wool suit adorned with faint Lurex pinstripes and its more noticeable black evening analogue truly encapsulated the spirit of the line. It was soft yet assertive elegance at its finest, a dialect Yamagishi has finely honed, particularly in the realm of tailoring. The brilliant adaptation of the classic Chanel jacket paired with shorts and cargo pants is a testament to Yamagishi’s creative mindset for the season.
The recent trend among menswear designers is a daring stride towards liberating men’s fashion by adopting elements from women’s wear. This might appear as an ambitious undertaking or even a somewhat nebulous concept. The expectations burdening how men should dress are manifold, and yet, women grapple with even more intricate societal demands regarding their appearance. However, Yamagishi navigates this complex landscape with a simple mantra – to enjoy dressing up, a joy so infectious it might well be the panacea for the rigidity that often clouds men’s fashion.
© Photos: Bed j.w. Ford
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