Among the collection, one of the most outstanding creations was a trompe-l’œil: a top that featured a high-resolution scan of a motorcycle jacket. But even more striking were the undulations and distortion effects on the denim waists and hems that Kamiya achieved with wire. Here was the unstable inner mind of youth, freshly and creatively limned. And yet, nothing about these designs seemed conceited; as items of clothing, they were accomplished and attractive.
Indeed, no matter how much Kamiya likes to emphasize the bad-boy image, he stops short of the all-out rogue, and it’s this delicate balance that encapsulates the style of his eponymous brand. As touched upon in our review of last season’s collection, Kamiya presents a wild street look but demonstrates his real métier in keeping contradictory elements of elegance still in play. In addition to the skill behind the styling, this surely comes down to the high quality of the individual items, each elaborately made one by one. The dark, bad-boy impression was softened by the casually integrated tailoring, the floral motifs rendered with gentle curves, and the pastel accents.
The collection’s name, “Mannish Boy,” is a reference to a song released in 1955 by Muddy Waters. “I’m a man,” the song’s 21-year-old protagonist repeats over and over again. The refrain captures the callow and vivid feelings of someone torn between the privilege of youth and his yearnings to be an adult man. What happens if fashion instead of music is used to express the sensibility so peculiar to that period of life, when we strive utterly to put on airs and appear refined? And what if this is done through two filters that contrast with that youthful mindset: a mature adult aesthetic and a highly advanced level of craftsmanship? KAMIYA’s collection this season lavishly attested to the potential for immaturity, the notorious flaw of youth, to turn into beauty.