accessories

Number (N)ine calls it quits

Number (N)ine designer Takahiro Miyashita apparently sent in a letter saying that the fall 2009 collection he just showed is set to have been his last. This news is definitely going to be pretty tragic to many, myself included, especially after such a magnificent collection. Miyashita’s been hailed as one of the most important Japanese designers and regarded by many as one of fashion’s great visionaries and unique talents. However, when an artist feels that they should cease their output… I can’t say that they’re making the wrong decision. I respect these decisions much more than designers who stay in the game when they’re uninspired, for the sake of money, like many choose to do.

I had no clue he was going to stop releasing collections but upon knowing, it definitely reinforces the feelings that the F/W09 collection emits. Underneath and all over the beautifully crafted designs, all of the detail and styling… the collection as a whole really had such a somber, paranoid, and utterly lonely feel to it. Like a man sort of going insane, clinging to the last bits of everything he knows – even down to his hotel’s upholstery. And in a way, I guess it makes sense now; perhaps the fact that it feels like a culmination of all things beautiful and bad, is perhaps exactly what it was meant to encompass.

I don’t know the guy personally but I can only assume the decision he’s made is the best one for him. He will be missed by all of us who are and have been fans of his beautiful work.

Number (N)ine Fall 2009 "A Closed Feeling"

I’ve come to not speculate in advance on N(N) shows because frankly there is no point anymore. What was once a brand who came a bit close to falling in a niche, has emerged as one with fully themed collections which, at the very least, have been entertaining. Good thing I didn’t bother speculating because I am not sure I would have ventured into the ballpark of this collection. Constructed out of an array of textures and fabrics that look eerily similar to my grandmother’s sofas, which have been encased under clear vinyl slip covers for the last fifty years... this collection is a special one to say the least.

From the all-too-obvious influences Miyashita took here, to the maturity in the silhouette, there is a lot to think about and a lot to take in aesthetically. The silhouettes are so lovely; the capes and cuts of the jackets are divine. Styling and proportion-wise, how could I not love this? The top-heavy shape due to the hats and structured upper half of the body paired with a skirt or cropped trouser and boot; it’s definitely such a great look.

The textures, patterns, fabrics, embellishment, fringe – there are a million things that draw the eye in… but it’s all so cohesive and beautiful. The color palette is seriously a dream; I adore the, for lack of a better term, earthy tones, topped off with the muted colors. The styling is heavy but isn’t it always with N(N)? For me, it works.

The emotional impact of this collection is so strong - the array of different textures, like wearing every single thing in the house at once. The paranoia, the reclusive factor, the hiding, the beauty... it's just a masterpiece from head to toe, beginning to end. Eternal thanks to Miyashita for being beyond brilliant.

Today is only just day 2 of Paris as well – lots more shows on the way.