Sacai's Sensational Success: A Fusion of Chic Style and Confident Attitude

The massive success of Sacai: A blend of cool composites and dynamic attitudes 

By Godfrey Deeny 

Published on Jan 22, 2024 

This season, there are few designers who have made as significant an impact as Chitose Abe for both men and women. Abe's Paris show on a Sunday afternoon was a tremendous hit, characterized by its cool composites and dynamic attitude. 

The venue for the show was the late 19th-century market building, Carreau du Temple, renowned for its glass and wrought iron architecture, and known for hosting legendary shows by master designers like Helmut Lang, Yohji Yamamoto, Rei Kawakubo, Riccardo Tisci, Pierpaolo Piccioli and Giambattista Valli, amongst others. 

Chitose Abe now joins this list of distinguished designers with her innovative nomadic superhero parkas, padded Mao jackets and oversized pants for men, along with bravura Himalayan mohair sweaters and Black watch kilts. One of the standout pieces was a composite trench coat, stylishly designed with vertical panels of rubberized cotton and wool. 

This show was the grand finale to the two-week, three-city menswear international season which started in Florence on the evening of Jan 8. In her co-ed collection, the women’s wear seemed even bolder. It included down cocoon waistcoats combined with plissé silk skirts, both having deep military pockets; gilets with attached lamb of mutton sleeves; baseball jackets with fur trim, all in a silvery, futuristic hue. 

Abe collaborated with New York graphic artist Marc Gonzales and featured his skateboard and quirky lettering designs in approximate ten looks. These designs mainly appeared on sweatshirts and tops and also woven into the composite tailoring. Cloth badges reading Gonz and Sacai, Sacaigonz, Good Vibes Tribe appeared alongside faux military awards. 

During the show, Abe made a touching tribute to a significant event in her life as she desired to celebrate life by creating a united and informed collection that sends love. She also brilliantly paired curved sheepskin blousons with high necks, short silk bloomers worn over thigh boots creating a badass buccaneer style throughout. 

Additionally, two new styles were introduced in her collaboration with J.M. Weston - Golf Derbies and Worker Boots. Both styles had Abe’s distinct cool touch. The background music of heavy rock, serial music and horror movie worthy smudges and smears of sound perfectly complemented the bold and dynamic clothing. Experimenting with new ideas and silhouettes is an integral part of Abe's design process, inspiring her to label her collection Uniforms. 

She seemed almost dizzy with the excitement of her Paris show.