YUMI KATSURA COUTURE FALL WINTER 2017-18

This summer, I discovered Japanese haute couture at the Yumi Katsura Couture Fall Winter 2017-18 show in Paris. She presented her new collection The Awakening of Nature, which was inspired by Japanese artists Kiitsu Suzuki (1796-1858) and Sotatu Tawaraya (early 17th century). I loved the collection, which was so different from the other ones I saw in Paris.

The colourful and vibrant collection is a tribute to fauna and flora. All the elements are hand-crafted in the pure Japanese tradition, thus securing the permanence of ancestral mastery.

The all-over prints inspired by Japanese nature, wildlife and flowers are amazing, the collection is rich in movements and expressing nature’s awakening. From day to day, the evening dresses tell a magical story and transform into living pictures.

Yumi Katsura’s passion for genuineness, authenticity and tradition drives the designer to build a bridge between East and West. She selects pieces from a Parisian wardrobe to highlight them onto a scene from a Japanese realm.

In an interview with Fashionweek Online, Yumi Katsura said: “For me, the kimono is like a picture. A painting. If you want to try expressing the painting in a normal jacket, you cannot do that because of the length of the jacket. In the kimono you can express the beauty of the picture, and that is why I use the kimono.”

I particularly liked the modern interpretation of the kimonos, the Japanes calligraphy on the dresses and the magnificent prints inspired by paintings. The last evening gown featuring white swans was inspired by Japanese painter Kiitsu Suzuki and was simply breathtakingly beautiful.