Yuima Nakazato Presents His New Couture Spring/Summer 2024 Collection: Utakata

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This collection is officially linked to the opera Idomeneo, which will premiere at the
Grand Théâtre de Genève¹ in Switzerland on February 21, 2024.
Idomeneo is an opera composed by Mozart in 1781. This new interpretation of the classic tale of
human suffering from the disasters of the ancient Greek wars is
directed by Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui² and will be presented
with stage design by contemporary artist Chiharu Shiota and costumes by YUIMA NAKAZATO.
The runway show is also staged in collaboration with Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.

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While designing the costumes for this opera, I visited Crete, the Greek island in the Mediterranean Sea where the story of Idomeneo takes place. With a vista of transparent, turquoise blue seas and groves of olive trees spread before me, I imagined the Trojan War as it took place in this beautiful scenery during the Minoan civilization. These reflections led me to reconsider the state of our modern society thousands of years later, which then became the starting point for this collection.

During my research, I was struck by the appearance of armor from this period excavated from ancient ruins. It was so beautiful that I could scarcely believe it had been designed for combat. I found myself wondering why beauty was necessary for a garment intended for use in war. Seeking answers, I visited the Musée de l'Armée in Paris to investigate the evolution of men's clothing over the past 5,000 years. I noticed that the decorative elements of battle wear are gradually eliminated as societies grow more civilized and technology continues to develop. As a result, repeated advances in functionality and rationality have culminated in the current style of military wear. Interestingly, these garments have served as prototypes for much of the clothing we wear today.

In the process of creating this collection, I came across the Japanese word utakata, which means “ephemeral”. This word seemed to express the exact opposite of the trend seen in the evolution of men's clothing, where functionality and durability are increasingly valued and prioritized. What I wanted to convey with this collection was a sort of ephemeral armor—much like a delicate bubble formed on the surface of the water, capable of vanishing in the blink of an eye. This approach also represents a release from or renunciation of battle.

Through the contradictory existence of delicate, fragile armor created by textiles shredded and reclaimed from worn-out uniforms and workwear and decorated with ceramics, glass, and platinum, this collection shows the evolution of clothing that could have been otherwise. It is also an attempt to fuse the delicate and fragile handwork elements of couture with the evolutionary path followed by men's clothing that has continued since ancient times. The fact that men appear on the stage of haute couture wearing these garments serves to embody our present era through its reexamination of the concept of toxic masculinity.

Lastly, this show was created together with Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui as sort of a non-verbal communication with modern society. There are no set answers, and the collection allows for various interpretations.

Yuima Nakazato

¹Grand Théâtre de Genève

Built in 1879, it is Switzerland's largest art stage and home of the Geneva Opera House and the Geneva Ballet. The theatre has its own opera chorus of 40 singers and enjoys an artistic partnership with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande during the opera season. From 2019, Aviel Cahn has served as the theatre’s general manager, and in 2022, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui was appointed as the director of the Geneva Ballet. In 2020, the company was named best opera troupe of the year (Opernwelt).

²Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui

Born in 1976 to a Moroccan father and Belgian mother, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui is a choreographer from Antwerp, Belgium. He made his debut as a choreographer in 1999 with Andrew Weil's contemporary musical Anonymous Society. He has since collaborated with many choreographers and founded his company, Eastman, in January 2010. In collaboration with longtime artistic partners Damien Jalet and Antony Gormley, he presented Babel (words) as the conclusion of a trilogy following Foi and Myth, which won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Dance and Stage Design and the Benoit Award for Best Choreography. In Japan, he has worked with Mirai Moriyama on TeZuka TeZukA (2012) and PLUTO (2015). On November 18, 2014, he received the honorary title of Commander of Orders from the King of Belgium.