Patchwork Designs by Junya Watanabe
The denim patchwork trend has been huge this year, and it took me some time to warm up to it. But I did, sort of…with styles that sticked out to me personally by Closed (Tge Pedal Star Patchwork Jeans that I had the chance to review) and Kill City. It’s not a trend that I really latched on, really, although there definitely are some pretty innovative styles out there (Closed definitely being one). Another just popped up from a brand I’ve never heard of, Junya Watanabe. This is definitely high couture, and out of the grasp of most of us, but it’s DEFINITELY eye candy! I see no point of whining about the expense. NET-A-PORTER had a good collection of the brand’s patchwork items, so I thought I’d focus on that retailer in particular. The boyfriend jeans featured above and below definitely caught my eye on their own, but one thing that solidified this post was the fact that Junya Watanabe also focuses on other patchwork items, such as swanky dresses, skirts and pants. They all look so delicate, I’d be afraid to wear them unless all I was doing was going out to dinner or a Broadway show (something that required little movement)!
These jeans come in various straight leg and boyfriend styles, and are embellished with such items as sequins, flannel, embroidery, glittered velvet, lace, leather, tulle, croc-effect faux leather and tweed. Now there’s a true art project! I kind of feel inspired… Check out the closeup detail below.
How gorgeous is the shirt below? I adore the angled cuts and myriad of textures, just like the jeans above. It is decorated with sequins, faux calf hair, jacquard, georgette and satin. With the all-black silhouettes, the texture of these garments really pops. The pants are made up of faux fur, sequins, embroidered organza and bouclé, and I like the mixture of sheer/transparent elements along with the textures. All of this reminds me of taking all the old scraps from my mom’s sewing projects and making a quilt with as many different fabrics as I could find…I remember her warning me that different fabrics behave differently in the wash so it might not look like it did forever! This is before I knew about dry cleaning, which all of these items from Junya Watanabe require. No surprise there.
Junya Watanabe Patchwork cotton shirt, Patchwork cotton-blend twill skinny pants
A predominantly black palette allowed Junya Watanabe to focus on patchwork and texture for Fall ’14”
The skirt below looks a little glam and a little Tim Burton, with sequins, felt, crepe, bouclé, faux fur and tulle for a “texture clash.” The wool-blend dress stuck out to me because it reminds me of a black rose…beautiful but with a dark side. I dig the assymetrical lines similar to the way the shirt above is designed, and it’s made of tulle petals, sequins, felt, faux calf hair, taffeta, sateen and bouclé. I really like how the black sequins at the belt line peek out from under the petals! Such an awesome mixture of fabrics! I wonder how these items feel when you are wearing them, or even just to the simple touch. Either way, they sure are pretty to look at. I love all that BLACK!
Admire the entire collection on NET-A-PORTER here.
Hi… I love your clothes. How can I order some of the items?
Hi! I’m glad you like them! 🙂 If you are referring to my outfit posts, I do wear a lot of things that I’ve had in my closet for some time. I always do my best though to post links if they are still available, or links to similar items! So check within the posts, usually within the text or at the bottom.
Some items are from last year, will they still be available?
I have no control over stock of items, so if they are sold out it’s up to the brand to restock or not 🙂 If they are from last year, then probably not, but you can always check with the brand. Sorry!