Sacai: Couture cool with a Cartier collaboration

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
Mar 7, 2022

A couture-like show by Chitose Abe of Sacai, in a suitable setting, the gilded glory and 19th-century frescos of the Paris’ Hotel de Ville, in a show that unveiled her first ideas for Cartier.

 
Chitose Abe’s recent foray into couture with Jean-Paul clearly echoed in the modernist bustles; grander silhouettes and elaborate draping of this autumn 2022 collection.
 
“It’s about bringing in many elements into one garment, like the men’s influenced jackets. Not adding so much as taking familiar things and making it something new,” said an emotional Abe, who fought to hold back tears, before saying: “Sorry, it’s been so long since I have seen every one of you!”

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Like more than one influential brand this season  – Prada and Bottega Veneta, for example – she opened with a white singlet, though Abe paired hers with a ginormous skirt, cut open like a pair of pants. She played with this concept in several colors, all the time anchoring the look with hefty, 4-inch high rubber wedges.
 
Chitose ballooned up bra tops into mini dresses; and cut raincoats and bankers' chalk-stripe jackets as short dresses, worn with men’s shirts and over layered chiffon skirts. Her trench coats seem an extension of her one-season Gaultier link-up, though with a bustle added; as did her elephantine aviator jackets.
 
“I wanted to develop a certain shape, a definite silhouette, creating clothes in a very serious way. I’m always trying to create something new with hybridization. But this season the key thing is I want to make clothes that looks impeccable,” insisted Abe.

 
However, though very elegant and refined, the clothes were a tad too grand, and sometimes lacked the street assemblage aesthetic which has made the 40-something Abe a fashion icon.
 
Sacai has already collaborated with North Face, Nike and Apple, so her link-up with Cartier came as little surprise when it was announced.
 
And she revealed that the Cartier collab,  themed around its Trinity ring, had been in her thinking while making this collection. 
 
“The Trinity stands for Love, Fidelity and Friendship, so I wanted those themes to be apparent,” she smiled, waving her hands to show elements of her Cartier jewelry. These included to a whole series of ergonomic necklaces and super smooth bracelets – in gold, rose gold and white gold.
 
Though what stood out most were the golden earpieces, triple tubes wrapped around both the ear and earlobes. And the triple finger rings, some of which linked back to double bracelets.
 
This “creative encounter” between the legendary jeweler and the Japanese designer will begin retailing in September.