Finding the joy in fashion seems to be ever more difficult as time passes. Whether it be political events, economic realities or the increasing rarity of genuine novelty within the industry, every fashion week these days is marked with an asterisk reminding us that we unfortunately still exist in the real world. Fashion, at its best, offers an escape: From showing us a new way of being, or taking us to a time that has long since passed– or yet to come – fashion can create alternate realities. Discovering and building these realities is something that Walter van Beirendonck and Kidill achieved remarkably this season. 

Walter van Beirendonck and Kidill both exist between the cracks of the luxury powerhouses that dominate Paris Fashion Week. Both disrupt traditional fashion conventions in favour of finding a counterculture that embraces the alien and the weird: Walter, a legacy Belgian brand that helped define ‘80s queer fashion and ‘90s European rave culture; and Kidill, a relatively newer Japanese label that takes its inspiration from that very same ‘90s aesthetic. Both find a unique approach to what it means to be kitsch in the 21st century.

Walter this season opted for a vision of the future. Rejecting the nostalgia of vintage fashion and bygone subcultures, the designer instead focused on idiosyncratic geometric tailoring paired with beautifully crafted knits and decorated bombers. The intent was clear — create a cast of “Alien Friends”, sent here to gift the ability to see the world in a completely new way. 3D printing and AI generation supplemented English and Scottish textiles with Dutch craftsmanship to create an aesthetic not limited by time, but space and imagination. The show concluded with an extended epilogue where the models positioned themselves on custom Walter van Beirendonck couches, flashing the peace sign with their extended prosthetic fingers. The message was well received, and one hopes that these E.T.s won’t return home.

Kidill was no slouch for theatrics either. The presentation began with a meditative drone from traditional Japanese punk rock group ‘Seppuku Pistols,’ leading into an explosive show opening of loud percussion and even louder clothing. Drawing inspiration from turn of the century Harajuku fashion alongside classic London rave and punk stylings, Kidill avoided the simple recycling of these eras with clothing that felt imagined and repurposed by William Gibson himself. In this world, colour theory has been replaced by colour anarchy, letting synthetic textures and contrasting patterns create a dynamic fashion narrative led by an unforgettable cast.

ARCHIVE.pdf contributing photographer Thian Benton Fieulaine went backstage to capture both of these eclectic shows. The images juxtapose what counterculture can look like from the east and the west, and how fashion can still make us dream– when dreaming seems more difficult than ever. 


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ARCHIVE.pdf had the opportunity this men’s fashion season to go backstage for two of the most eclectic shows on the calendar and capture the behind the scenes of what it takes to make a spectacle.

Thian Benton Fieulaine

Writer

Welcoming the Weird: Walter van Beirendonck meets Kidill

Photographer

Welcoming the Weird: Walter van Beirendonck meets Kidill