Her palette’s base colors of monotone blacks and whites have never changed. This season, however, saw the addition of some softer pastel colors like lilac and powder pink. While she had previously experimented with red, fuchsia, lime green, and sky blue accents, this collection marked her first real attempt to assert true chromatic layering. And this is to say nothing of the other completely novel elements like the rose accessories and polka dots, indicating the new directions that Funayama is steadily taking FETICO in without compromising the core aesthetic of the brand.
Even more striking were the body-conscious outlines, updated with a contemporary eye. As a designer, Funayama has excelled primarily at skin-tight apparel, but this season she found herself captivated by the peculiar style of the 1980s, an attraction that spurred her to embark upon research delving deep into that period. The stunning results felt like bodycon dresses for a new era, fusing the original classic design with a uniquely Funayama blend of sensuality and almost fetishistic aesthetic. Incorporating iconic aspects of the 1980s baggy style like power shoulders, puffy sleeves, and draped clothing, the collection nonetheless eschewed unnecessary elements for a minimal, sophisticated look that somehow gave off an aura of luxury.
Notwithstanding the lingerie-like sheer fabric and skin-revealing cutouts in the clothing, Funayama consciously deployed deluxe, 1980s-style materials and held back in terms of how much flesh her designs left exposed. Or so it seemed, but then along came a motorcycle jacket and long dress that fully covered the body from the front, only to brazenly show off the model’s back. The view from behind was indescribably beautiful. A man speaks with his back, as the saying goes in Japanese, but what are women concealing on their backs? Given the intriguing question that FETICO’s collection raised, its title came as no surprise: “The Secrets.”