Sacai’s Army of One (Piece Dressing)
Review of Sacai Fall 2024 Fashion Show
By Angela Baidoo
THE COLLECTION
THE VIBE
THE THEME
Sacai, Chitose Abe’s 25-year-old brand, is one whose clothing must be experienced in-the-round, as no flat image (a detail shot possibly) can do justice to how her designs open up new avenues for self-expression. From the front, always the back (watching the models walk past often reveals a completely new garment hiding back there), and sometimes the sides the designer maximises the concept of clothing as true 3D objects to be explored, broken down and played with, “the silhouette is refined and perfected, to surprise from every angle” said the designer on todays collection.
Sacai has continued to excel in their particular method of deconstruction, and today the steer was the idea of “one-piece dressing” according to the show notes. In particular it was the dress that was chosen for a makeover and maximised through hybridisation. Tailoring was torn down and remade into blazer fronts and full trapeze backs created from quilted jackets. While new ways with knits are being tapped into for fall by a large majority of designers, especially extreme fringing. Here, the trim was used across knitted puffers and strapless dresses, moving in tandem with each stride the visual effect was mesmerising. Atypical military-style outerwear got an upgrade with nylon inserts lengthening the silhouette and creating a full-circle skirt on an officers coat. And utility shirts were slashed open and inserted with sheer panels, another interesting way to tackle the theme for all things transparent this season. Military outerwear also burst forth at the hem with nylon padding which created the emotional and real-world protection spoken of in the show notes.
THE BUZZWORDS
Covering all angles, fashion army, maximal hybridisation
THE SHOWSTOPPER
Look #8
Known for her splicing and deconstruction, Chitose Abe’s cobweb-like knits in two-tone or highlighted with a shot of colour added an additional layer of movement with unexpected details such as the leather collar and ‘seams’ to create a tailored shape.
THE DIRECTION
THE QUOTE
Fashion is the armour to survive the reality of everyday life.
Bill Cunningham via Sacai Show Notes
THE WRAP UP
Taking clothing apart at the seams and reconstructing them to create an entirely new silhouette is nothing new at Sacai, but for fall there seemed to be a new edgier direction, as jackets were ultra-cropped in the front and left long at the back, and knitwear was melded with tailoring in a new take on merging opposing categories together. The dress has never been realised in so many different constructions which are so far removed from its original state. But for fall 2024 Sacai is providing an almost unrecognisable idea around one-piece dressing.
