Noir Kei Ninomiya RTW Spring 2023
For his return to Paris, Kei Ninomiya swept the audience away on a journey through another dimension, propelled by the idea of a “mystic force,” the theme of the season.
Through a translator, Ninomiya said he wanted to express a different energy by creating “something that is kind of weird and strange.” Given what he has shown in the past, that was some gauntlet to throw down. But he delivered.
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Down the Noir rabbit hole we went, starting with a silhouette that didn’t even look like a standard human form, composed of geometric elements assembled into tubular structures. There were flurries of mesh tubes sprouting from under a cropped jacket; black flowers sprouting up and down from articulated stems attached to a corset that cinched a slimline coat; all manners of materials ruched, teased and curled into shapes not quite of our reality.
Midway through the show, turquoise cut in, sprouting like moss or growing in crystal structures on large net dresses. As any H.P. Lovecraft fan knows, who is to say what color shadows are in other dimensions?
Underpinning these fantastical elements was some pretty terrific tailoring. One of the most striking examples was a coatdress that looked like it was spinning in — or out — of our perception, with gaps and transparent inserts materializing that movement.
Headpieces by ceramic artist Takuro Kuwata, perched atop curly white wigs, and boots given the Noir treatment — a collaboration with British heritage label Hunter — were the only fixed points in this multidimensional escapade.
The show closed with a duo of feathered silhouettes. Under Ninomiya’s spell, they seemed like motion-blurred images of extra-dimensional beings soaring upward. “Making the mind better and positive is so important,” he said.
A giddy optimism floated across the room and remained even after the last look had vanished behind the mirrored backstage. It was just the kind of vibe shift needed right now.
Launch Gallery: Noir Kei Ninomiya RTW Spring 2023