Where to begin with this one? Aside from the fact that the clothing is nothing short of stunning, this line is truly unique and all hats should be off to Naoki for this. Hand Stitch is a line which has many innovative concepts and principals. I always love when a designer designs beyond simply aesthetics and takes the whole craft to another level. Naoki has been on a veritable path to finding himself in recent times and I hope this collection truly brought him some satisfaction as it’s incredible and there is so much more there than meets the eye.
Amongst the beautiful clothing and silhouettes, there is much going on. On some of the white and off-white “feather” pieces, the feather patterns are actually hand drawn with a metal brush, which has long been used for the art of kimono painting… the painted on fabric then has a sheer layer of fabric over it as a protective element. The craftsmanship is incredible here in this collection, all the way from the stitching techniques, to the innovative textiles used and there was just as much attention paid to the inside of all of the garments as was on the exterior.
I am a firm supporter of conceptual designers such as Rick Owens and Yohji Yamamoto, who thrive on designing truly special pieces and who pay attention to every detail; to the parts of the garments that no one but the owner will ever see or get to experience. For example, Rick Owens lines his jackets with luxurious fabrics, simply so the woman experiences a pleasure when putting on the garment. And Yohji, who pays just as much attention to the backs of his creations as the front because he believes the spine is where your spirit lies and that the back should never be ignored. Designers like this have a vision which extends far beyond the initial aesthetics and who dive deeper into pushing the limits of what fashion is really about. This collection by Naoki is another great example of these types of principals and I just adore it.
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