Taking a beat and not showing on the runway, Hanako Maeda was able to distill what is at the center of her work: Japanese craftsmanship and tailoring. The choice led her to leave out the embellishments and mute the color palette to showcase “the details that you don’t really see that much when you have more embellishments,” she said on a call from Japan.
Tailoring is a brand staple, but the pared down approach for the season made it really shine. A thin pinstripe suit with the addition of asymmetrical pleating on the skirt details played with duality, fluidity against structure; a sandy colored blazer tucked into a matching high waist pant, masculinity with the femininity. Outerwear options included a double-faced wool coat, a cape coat with faux leather trim in contrasting hues and a soft faux leather boxy trucker jacket — all simple classics that will last beyond one season. She rounded it out with several evening looks that played with sheer elements: one in black with panels of fabric streaming off the gauzy skirt felt dreamy, perfect for a young thing’s red carpet debut.
Maeda introduced the next collection for her gender neutral collection Adeam Ichi, based on “how people really dress in the streets of Tokyo,” she said. With a focus on layering, it melded a Japanese take on preppy with streetwear. It easily could be mixed with her main collection, showing the versatility and range of her work.
