TOKYO FASHION WEEK 2013 AW: ANREALAGE. WITCHERY! THE AMAZING DISAPPEARING TECHNICOLOR COATS

アンリアレイジ編。東京ファッションウィーク2013年秋冬をレポート。魔法！！フォトクロマ分子を洋服に落とすと何が起るかというと？！

It is stressful enough to me to have to come up with a new outfit to wear everyday, and I can’t imagine what its like for fashion designers to come up with brand new collections every season (note: I KNOW big brands have a team of design assistants to come up with ideas, but for the *most* part, Japanese high-fashion designers do their own work).

So then, the fact that Kunihiko Morinaga of Anrealage manages to come up with not only a collection twice a year, but ones that are *innovative* EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

It’s come to the point that us fans expect it. Can he ever let us down?

This time, I heard rumors: “It’s amazing.” “You’re going to love it”. Really?? Can it be that good??

So following the amazing 3D laser-cut collection from last season (That Tommy- Ton said was one of his most favorite that season) , this time the theme was “Color”. The invitation was of 3 monochrome pencils that actually were red, blue and yellow upon closer inspection. Hmmm…curiouser and curiouser…..

The collection started out with black and white, then continued on to a few single-colored pattern pieces, like the photoshop trick where you turn everything grey except for one specific color. I was thinking…. “Cute, but not with BANG.”

Then came the real shit.

Two models stepped out in off-white maxi velvet coats and stood on a turntable that spun them around. After one rotation, their jackets went from colorless to color blocked. I ‘m talking BRIGHT purple and blue, with accents all over. A trick of the light?

Then came the school blazers…these white things became color blocked in purple and yellow with a little spin as well. WHAT IS THIS WITCHERY? Was it….motion sensored ?_? Say whaaaa…

 We saw white turn to houndstooth, and then multi-colored graphical markings . It seemed to be turning colors faster and faster in a blink-and-you-miss-it sort of way.

More and more transformed before our eyes, until finally, the last three pieces came out, all made of intensely detailed patchwork. A step on the turntable revealed cascading technicolor that was so cool it brought me chills. Then the lights went out and a loud “lost signal” *BEEEEP* distracted us long enough for the lights to come back on… and the three pieces had gone back to white. It was so quick, like *snaps finger*

Afterward, Morinaga explained that the colors were made with photo chromic dye, which is often used in sunglasses that go from clear to dark lenses when indoors or outside. So the particles react to heat from light, rather than certain kinds of light.

“I was thinking about what color means to fashion. The industry is obsessed with the color black, and then white is considered to be “Martin Margiela Style.” But I wanted to break the color down. And we live in world surrounded by digital screens that are very bright and colorful. I wanted the clothes to reflect that.”

That last coat with the patchwork lace is probably a gajillion dollars but I`m gonna sneak in a try-on anyway! Maybe Anrealage’ll trade for indentured servitude. 

The lace coat— Beautiful!!!