On the last night of Paris men’s fashion week, Bed j.w. Ford held its presentation-slash-runway show in a moody candlelit bar in the 11th. A live jazz band provided the music, with the audience sprawled on low crimson sofas that lined the room.
When the models appeared they paced extremely slowly down the makeshift runway. It transpired that this was because there wasn’t enough time for them to change, but it allowed the audience to appreciate the details. Glamorous, peak-lapeled tailoring was festooned with golden tassels pinned by feather brooches, pens were fastened onto pockets, and rings on chains dangled from belts. The tiny golden bells that the brand has made something of a signature were also apparent, hanging from sleeves here and there.
Half of the looks were layered with cape-like shawls draped in various permutations across the shoulders. The resulting silhouettes drew out the vintage magician vibe that Bed j.w. Ford can occasionally drift into, but it was tempered with enough contemporary affectations in the nylon jackets and denim to keep it current. French cuffs peeked out from beneath the outerwear, which included glen plaid suiting, chesterfield coats and a sparkly Chanel-esque tweed jacket, while a gray sweater was enlivened with colorful embroidery on the neck and daisies on the elbows. “It represents the image of a mother mending torn knitwear,” said Shinpei Yamagishi backstage afterwards.
Yamagishi, who loves a swishy detail, was enjoying a glass of wine backstage. “It’s about the romance I feel for clothing. I jumped into the fashion world not for the power or money or authority, but because of the romance,” he said. “That’s what I wanted to convey.” If there was more to it, he didn’t give it away. An experienced romantic knows to keep you guessing.
