Tadashi Shoji FW 2021 – Wear it like armor
One of my favorite shows was Tadashi Shoji‘s at last year’s New York Fashion Week. The virtual presentation was shown in a dream garden, full of an optimistic attitude.
The designer’s message was clear again for the FW 2021 season. What happens around us often affects fashion. Many people have experienced the loss of a friend or loved one during the last year. Either at the hands of the coronavirus or through related issues, such as mental health.
Therefore with his artistic team, Shoji dreamed, not of any glittering catwalk or flowery field, but of a smoldering battlefield in which his models step out into the ruins of the past. The accompanying music, Beethoven‘s 3rd Symphony added a powerful atmosphere to the proceedings.
Theatres, concert halls, and entertainment venues are experiencing hard times. It is no wonder that a shattered piano and a crystal chandelier on the battlefield mourn the glory of the past.
But before we can accuse Tadashi Shoji of pessimism, it’s worth checking out these warrior-laced armored amazons. I have no doubt that one of the ruins will lead to glory.
The past year has challenged us in ways we could never have imagined. No one has escaped unaffected. We yearn for security. We are forced to summon our strength every day. This season, I wanted to design pieces that inspire a sense of protection, a collection that reflects our strength—a strength so palpable you could rap your knuckles on it, and it would sound like steel. We carry our strength with us. So why not showcase it? Make it sexy. Make it sparkle. Celebrate it!
For Fall/Winter 2021, you’ll find armor-inspired details accented with silken fringe, embellished necklines that curl up around the neck, head-to-toe metallic bouclé looks, and high-texture jacquard dresses with structured sleeves and hems, which stand away from the body.
There is no telling what the future holds, no crystal ball from which to scry. But hope, like a banner flying bright, defeats uncertainty. Yes, dark clouds forebode a storm, but what if those clouds were lined with burnished bronze and glittering silver? Tragedy has created heartbreaking wreckage, leaving splintered debris in its wake. But hope, like the rising sun, lights up the dark horizon with a fiery, phoenix sky.
Fashion doesn’t heal the world just as a dress cannot fix what’s wrong, but maybe, it can embolden you, who wears it. Never underestimate your strength because, in strength, there is beauty. Make it extremely yours. Wear it like armor.
— Tadashi