Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana continue to support emerging talent
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana continue to support emerging talent
Beware Tomo Koizumi! The 34-year-old Japanese designer may have changed the way we think about fashion. With a large (actually gigantic!) collection of looks, Koizumi took the theatricality of a fashion show and turned the runway into a rainbow of color and ruffles. It invites us to consume fashion through our eyes, as if we were looking at a painting or a statue, instead of looking at it. The new definition of haute couture seems to encourage the pursuit of fashion as a pure art form, leaving behind elitist costs and shapes. What do you expect?
Koizumi’s Fall/Winter 2023-24 collection debuted at Milan Fashion Week with a fashion show supported by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. After Sohee Park and Matty Bovan, Koizumi is her third young artist to catch the attention of the Italian fashion duo and be featured in a program to support new talent. Koizumi, who first launched his own label at his fashion week in New York 2019, is known for his volume, vibrant color choices, and unconventional research into the market. In fact, most of his work is exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Victoria in Australia, or the Kyoto Costume Institute, or can only be found in private collections.
The Milan fashion show used just that unique approach. Traditional pieces in Dolce & Gabbana’s archives, such as corsets and his black dress, were revisited by an explosion of fabrics, and tailoring details became tools that celebrated craftsmanship. Koizumi also incorporated elements that have shaped Dolce & Gabbana’s identity, such as flowers. “Don’t forget to bring flowers,” Koizumi said at the beginning of the show to remind us of the purpose of his appearance: a parade of gratitude.
Perhaps the most special element Koizumi brought to the runway was the playfulness that seemed to be inherent in his collections. I touched on a voluminous work. There were his last two works to capture the theatricality of the collection. A model wrapped in a bash of color spread her arms out to the photographer as performers do before taking their final bow. A group of five models then closed the show with the monumental rainbow flag (which the audience applauded).
Finally, the ultimate innovation is Koizumi’s idea of feminine seduction and body positivity. Away from the toxic patterns of fashion, designers have beautified only a handful of bodies and drawn our attention to the brilliance of dressing up. Laughter and joy are said to help prolong life, but fashion has finally made that priority. Are you reviewing it?
