Doublet Men’s Fall 2022 – WWD

“This season, I really wanted to create a similar metaverse. While I was working on this collection, we were hosting the Olympics and Paralympics in Japan, and I found myself deeply moved by the Olympics. At that point, I started thinking about what diversity means to me, and if I think about a place where there’s natural diversity, I think about the atmosphere of the metaverse, where there are people. looks like avatars or animals, but no one thinks of this as diversity. It’s just expectations,” said Masayuki Ino about her latest collection.

To create what he calls a “metaverse analogue,” the designer held his show at an outdoor photo studio that was a full-size replica of Tokyo’s iconic Shibuya intersection. Only instead of the giant LED screens and buildings it was known for, it was just surrounded by green screens. And instead of the hustle and bustle of people waiting to cross the intersection every time the light turned green, Ino invited fashion students to be his assistants, each dressed to look like a unique avatar.

He took the metaverse theme further by having each of his models wear the same actual mask and pink wig, so while their bodies were very different, each looked the same. from the top of the neck. Ino also aimed for an inclusive size, saying after the show that it made no sense to him that the medium size should only fit small people, as is often the case in Japan. Instead, he created sizes that can be worn for different body types, but whose shade will vary depending on the wearer.

Ino introduces genderless, tailored suits that are lightweight and come in basic black, shocking pink, and leopard print. These are complemented by more casual tracksuits, heart-shaped spray-painted denim jackets, miniature animal print knit pants, and wide-leg velvet pants. There are also pleated and ribbed shirt pieces that stretch to fit the wearer’s body, and warm fleece pullovers, jackets and shorts with an oversized silhouette.

The designer’s theme of diversity was reflected in his choice of models, including transgender men and women, as well as models of different health who navigated the runway by wheelchair or with the help of a prosthetic leg. Each is very unique, but with the addition of Doublet’s custom masks for the season, there’s also an element of identity. In the finale, when the models all ripped off their masks and gleefully skipped over or rolled across the crossroads, the beauty of diversity was evident.