by Connor Norton
The Japanese house, Pas de Calais, under the creative control of designer Yukari Suda, preserved its harmonious blend of Japanese minimalism and French decadence in its Autumn/Winter 2016 collection entitled “Decayed”. On the fifth floor of a loft in SoHo, guests were transported to the depths of a deserted forest. Moss was scattered about the weathered dark wood floors and decaying wood beams were positioned in the back, while models posed on tiered stanchions. Asian-inspired music played softly in the background, fused with the sounds of children laughing and the lull of running water further amplified the theme of the hidden forest.
Dutiful to her soft color palette, Suda engaged in traditional dyeing to create rich, muted hues of navy, heather gray, forest green, cream, auburn, and russet brown. Linen, silk, cashmere, wool, cotton, and shearling were fashioned in defined, yet casual silhouettes. Frayed, raw stitching bedecked the minimalist outerwear uniting the brand’s French inspiration with its Japanese roots. Models wore soft suede loafers in shades of grey, brown, and charcoal with white stitching and dark wooden soles. Hair was tightly pulled away from the natural, naked color palette of the face. With no considerable departure from the brands previous aesthetic, Pas de Calais’ Autumn/Winter 2016 collection maintained its traditional usage of rich material, soft color palettes, and casual silhouettes.
