One large lightbulb hung from the ceiling in the Saut du Loup showspace at the Palais de Tokyo, dangling between a string quartet. But rather than strike up the Mozart–which would have been apt, considering designer Yusuke Takahashi recently designed costumes for a performance of the Magic Flute in Tokyo—the musicians played a curious, furious composition by the Serbian composer Hristina Šušak as the backdrop to CFCL’s fall show.
See-sawing their bows, the players accompanied the high-pitched notes of their instruments with nightmarish shrieks and moans that hovered somewhere between ecstasy and pain. Having titled his show “Knitware Cadence,” Takahashi felt the music would match the rhythm of tension and relaxation he sought to capture in his clothes. Plus, he hoped the experience of listening to live music would enrich the evening slot CFCL had secured on the PFW schedule for the first time. “The show will give people the opportunity to find new music, enjoy a new experience,” he said in a preview.
This season exuded a more severe energy than spring’s twinkling, sequin-festooned outing. Having checked out the ‘Mode et Sport’ exhibition at Paris’s Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Takahashi had been impressed by the fencing and horse-riding outfits on display–they captured the blend of sophistication and function that defines his own label, an acronym for ‘clothing for contemporary life’. Determined to infuse his collection with a sporty wearability, he had endeavored to bring an athletic edge to more formal looks–tailored blazers and suits–as well as streetwear shapes–bomber jackets–to suit the cadence of his customer’s Monday to Sunday wardrobe. The best looks had a hint of ’90s Armani to them, with a lean, lightweight athleticism that was compelling. It was interesting, too, to see CFCL branch out further in accessories, with woven thigh-high lurex boots joining the knit-centric line-up.
The CFCL team, which has now swelled to 50, has recently taken possession of its own knit machine in its Tokyo headquarters. It will allow them to continue experimenting, developing samples in-house, as well as bespoke and custom designs for clients. If his music tastes are anything to go by, Takahashi has a radically iconoclastic side. If he could give voice to that impulse in his clothes, the results have the potential to be fascinating.
