Y-3 is ready to rock, taking inspiration from the icons of music history for an explosive collection of hard-core looks. From lambskin leather motorcycle vests to tailored military jackets, Y-3's Spring/Summer 2011 show took a tour through three decades of rock style, sending a model army of Janis Joplins, Elvis Presleys, and Jimi Hendrixes out onto the runway.
Presented on Sunday, September 12th as part of New York fashion week, the collection explored the power and escapism of rock and roll, a theme that was underscored with a live sound track courtesy of British band The Duke Spirit. Guests including Bambou and Lulu Gainsbourg, Alison Brie, Liberty Ross, Leigh Lezark, Geordon Nicol, and the Wonder Girls jammed out to the group's hard-stomping sound.
The collection, presented for the third season at the Park Avenue Armory, highlighted a contemporary take on classic rock silhouettes, from the hot-and-heavy leather looks of the '60s, to the psychedelic prints of the '70s, to the eccentric, edgy styles of the '80s. Military jackets in metallic cotton sateen evoked the devil-may-care attitude of Jimi Hendrix. Velour suits in ochre green recalled the slouchy style of Janis Joplin. And highly-tailored jackets for men looked pulled from the wardrobe of the King, Elvis Presley.
Rock music and sex appeal go hand in hand, and neither was in short supply. Y-3 proposed cropped tanks for both men and women, and, for the girls, flowing sarong skirts and tight black leggings that erupted almost erotically into a spray of ruffles at the knee. The rest of the show presented intriguing contrasts of volume-tight on top, loose on bottom, and vice versa-in classic Yamamoto fashion. Y-3 also tapped Yoko Ono-another icon of music-for a selection of coats and T-shirts printed with the artist's text pieces, like "Open Your Eyes, Open Your Door, Open Your Legs, Open Your Sides, Open Your Heart, Open Your Mouth."
On the footwear front, Y-3 keeps innovating. The lightweight new Kubo shoe for men and women boasts a fully foldable sole and feels a bit like walking on air. Other footwear featured reflective threading and treatments, making for an eye-catching new look. Y-3 has also updated the sporty women's pump in a range of new fabrics and colorways, and has, for the first time, added elegant oxfords and oxford boots for men. Like all things Y-3, they combine breakthrough technology with tradition and elegance.
Despite his love of hard rock, Y-3 designer Yohji Yamamoto was absent from the presentation, staying in Tokyo instead to complete his femme collection, which will be shown in Paris in October. "I'm a rocker at heart," the designer said, "but work must come first.
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