Connecting distant worlds through exploring polar opposites has been the foundation of Anrealage’s DNA ever since the brand’s creation in 2003, circling from A to Z, the real to the unreal, upside down to right side up, and from outer space to the Earth. For Anrealage Spring Summer 2023 season ̶ a milestone collection celebrating 20 years of mind-blowing conceptual designs, and the house’s first Paris show for two-and-a-half years following the Covid pandemic ̶ designer Kunihiko Morinaga pushes the limits of patchworking techniques, showcasing a series of one-of-a-kind patchwork garments in two chapters, in physical and digital formats.
PHYSICAL-MEETS-DIGITAL
The physical runway show on September 27th will present 15 patchwork silhouettes followed by a palette cleanser of five inside-out black patchwork looks, then conclude with the same 15 looks that opened the show now turned inside out, construction seams exposed to reveal a whole new textural dimension.
The video version will pair each look with their inside-out alter egos, parading them side by side, unfurling as a dual reality within a digital realm. The film will be screened 24 hours after the physical show on the website of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode and the house’s YouTube channelchannel for Anrealage Spring Summer 2023.
ODE TO CRAFT
A poetic tribute to an Anrealage signature and one of the most symbolic and handcraft-intensive needlework rituals, the A&Z patchwork collection features more than 200 kinds of cloth, mainly deadstock fabrics, with up to 4,000 pieces used on a single look.
Balancing visual and textural effects, the reversible silhouettes evolve from monochromatic shades constructed from airwashed denim into myriad multicolored fragments patterned together. Each piece is lovingly sculpted by hand from small scraps and postage stamp-sized triangles and squares, using all kinds of fabrics, from classic Liberty prints evoking vintage American patchwork, to sartorial wool and fine lace, creating kaleidoscopic patterns of texture and colors. Each silhouette is seemingly disposed to reconfigure itself into another.
Everyday women’s garments are transformed by the painstaking handiwork, contrasting sculptural volumes with long and lean shapes. Ballooning sleeves and generous frills add visual impact to shift dresses and blouses, while dense textures confer depth to tailored pieces such as long coats and pants.
Matching footwear in floral printed leather and an array of colors ranges from zipped ankle boots to running sneakers and retro trainers, the latter designed in collaboration with Japanese label Recouture.
SOUND LAYERS
Guests at the show will also be equipped with open-ear wearable devices developed in collaboration with NTT Sonority. Designed to create ‘Personalized Sound Zones’ (PSZ), the onear speakers hook high on the ear, above the ear canal, creating a high-quality audio experience of the runway soundtrack, enclosing the sounds played by the earphone without blocking out real-life noise. Several runway models will also be fitted with state-of-the-art open-ear PSZ headsets. Staying true to Anrealage’s signature motto and ethos, God is in the detail.
All images courtesy of Anrealage
PR Agency PR Consulting Paris