This season’s Y-3 presentation unfolds in the sponge-like hall of the Broniat Palace; we were warned that it will last about 30 minutes. There is no traditional runway performance, but an explanatory dance filled with emotion in a variety of actions, “trying to deepen the audience’s connection”, courtesy of the Kianí del Valle (KDV) performance group.
Act one begins with 10 dancers, all wearing black, and they twist, waving and twisting their faces. More people joined the fight, eventually reaching the end of about 40 people, who rushed in, glided and screamed throughout the space. Sometimes dancers merge into a single arm and legs, others break away from each other, fall down, sprint and collapse on the floor. In the center is a bunker filled with black sand, grabbed or kicked into the air by fists, white smoke descending from above. There are four dancers in total, wearing the collection, plus a five-piece pinstripe sports jersey with the names of Zinedine Zidane, Jude Bellingham, Garrett Wilson and Anthony Edwards, Anthony Eddards (Adidas athletes are all related to No. 5).
Here are the precedents that Y-3 is building: Yahji Yamamoto worked with Pina Bausch in the 90s, and the series may have been understood as a re-upgrade for the next generation, making Adidas Union the now-for-20-year-old adidas Union. Many of the items in the series are made of a new summer viscose that looks as light as the elastic arms and second skin on the legs, while others are soaked so they look as if they emerge from the shadows. The most important thing is the pinstripe work in the latter appearance – an expert fusion of romantic craft forms on one side of the Y-3 coin, and the other is the three sportiness that can be immediately recognised.
While exciting, performances are not the most effective way to showcase details of clothes. However, all the jumps, falls and tilts certainly show how brilliant they are about the movement. On fashion shows, you rarely see clothing testing to such limits. In LookBook images, the design is clearer – these are exquisite jackets, dresses, shirts and pants that can be worn on the sofa, go for a rave or jump off the helicopter. Of course, they look good, too.
