The Magic of Mihara Yasuhiro

Mihara Yasuhiro’s AW23 collection took place just off the Arc De Triomphe in Paris’ 8th arrondissement; living up to the high expectations set by his last Menswear presentation in June 2022.

Guests were greeted upon arrival with small cups of Japanese green tea, and the runway was dimly lit by a gentle purple hue. The show began with a spotlight solo from drummer Marijus Aleksa, who scored the entirety of the display with percussion, switching from slower to faster tempos throughout, and rising to a chaotic crescendo for the grand finale.

The collection was specifically focused on the idea of repurposed and sustainable garments; earth tones, heavy distressing and thick knitwear featured throughout. Jeans were flared, knits were low-hanging, and the unique washes were crafted to perfection; bright instances of colour popped sporadically, draped around the odd waist and neck.

A particularly experimental jacket structure had a chest section shaped into an arch, with coverage solely focused on the shoulders and arms. Mihara once again took on a playful approach to formal wear, printing classic shirt patterns onto large padded jackets. Different shades of denim were stitched together and faded in a sun-dried style.

My personal highlight was a dark blue faux-leather two piece layered on top of a brown shirt and muted beige bottoms.

I had the chance to speak to Mihara after the show, firstly asking him why he chose to exclusively use faux leather in the collection.

He replied that even though he previously worked with genuine leather, in the reality we experience, it is almost impossible to differentiate between what is real and what is fake, so he wanted to try something new and more sustainable whilst achieving the same visual effect.

We also discussed his wider trend predictions for 2023; he stated that he believes more vintage clothing will be repurposed for the mainstream, and sustainability will grow even further across fashion houses who would traditionally reject that narrative.

Mihara Yasuhiro’s AW23 show was nothing but magical, capturing imaginations of both young and old; his talent, joy, and genuine optimism not only permeate into his collections, but can also be observed in the people he keeps around him - every show has been an absolute pleasure to attend so far.

Article by James Frost