Stepping inside La Belle Aurore, the historic Milanese bar where Setchu held its presentation, one could hardly tell designer Satoshi Kuwata’s friends modeling his fall 2024 collection apart from the guests, for both roamed around the rustic interiors having a chat and a drink, simply enjoying themselves.
It was exactly what Kuwata wanted to deliver: a relaxed moment amid the fashion week frenzy and far from all its fanciness, which echoed his own wish of going back to reality after his 2023 LVMH Prize win and consequent visibility boom in the past six months.
“I think we are kind of facing that second stage after the LVMH Prize. Obviously more people know about me, and I think I wanted to go back to who I am, which is just a real person,” Kuwata said. “I wanted to have a mix of people, a mix of ages: our real life just reflected in this event.”
The collection was a mix, too, as Kuwata believes that authenticity lies at the intersection of cultures and references. Blending tailoring with utility, the dressy with the sporty, the matte with the glossy, Kuwata turned normality into an exercise of effortless sophistication.
He relied on his signatures, like crisp sartorial pieces with marked folding creases, paper collarless Oxford shirts, Bermuda pants with wide pleats, as well as dresses whose constructions winked to origami folding techniques. A couple of leather pieces, including biker jackets and a belted suit, looked great and added a sleek touch.
Layering played a key role in elevating graphic silhouettes while injecting an unpredictable spin into looks. The effect was enhanced by zippers morphing the appearance and fit of separates — including padded jackets, cashmere hoodies and tartan mohair skirts — or buttons transforming ribbed knits and opening their silhouette to new styling solutions.
Rather than stretching his assortment and adding new design ideas, Kuwata is committed to perfecting the existing tropes of his brand. “We have iconic styles, we just need to go deeper to make them better every time,” he said.
Such a process is propelled by fabric experimentation, as the Japanese talent listed a new washable cashmere and paper denim among the latest introductions. “Something that looks normal but it’s actually really innovative — that’s what we’re trying to do,” he concluded.
