Kunihiko Morinaga, in his ANREALAGE Spring/Summer 2024 collection, unfolds a dance of color, shadow, and light, interweaving existence and nonexistence. The collection is a confluence of technology, fashion, and philosophy, creating a transient bloom and fade of the enigmatic realms of ‘Umwelt’—the surrounding world or environment.
The Philosophy of Color and Light
Colors in this collection are the storytellers, narrating tales of inception and cessation, playing with the realms of visibility and invisibility. The beginning blossoms in colorlessness, allowing time—the eternal light—to bestow upon it the hues of existence, and it is in this spectrum of colors that the shadow, the transparent, finds its abode.
When the colors reach their crescendo, they weave back into the tapestry of light, making the transparent, the beacon of existence. This transient journey of colors from blooming to fading epitomizes the philosophical dance between existence and nonexistence, resonating with the eternal cycles of life and the transient nature of all living entities.
Crafting Invisible Silhouettes
Morinaga’s exploration of special fabrics and photochromic technology breathes life into color, starting from an invisible, colorless PVC base. The brand’s patented ANVISUAL photochromic technology metamorphoses transparent garments into vibrant multicolored silhouettes under ultraviolet lights, creating visual illusions resembling giant couture bubble wrap filled with air.
Aesthetics and Innovation
Every piece is a masterpiece of contrasting textures and colors, with graphic taped seams of denim, cotton, and Ultrasuede®, encapsulating bodysuits erupting in a cascade of miniature AZ monogram logos. The garments reflect the adaptive capabilities of a chameleon's skin, offering a visual feast of Fairtrade cotton developed with Toyoto Tsusho Inc.
The collection is complemented by a series of INVISIBLE PVC accessories, ranging from inflatable earrings and bracelets to balaclavas and gauntlet-style gloves. The footwear oscillates between PVC boots and immaculate white 3D-printed flats, adding to the aesthetic diversity of the collection.
Collaborative Futurism
The collaboration with X8, a new eyewear label by Won Lee, former CEO and creative director of Gentle Monster USA, has brought forth a line of futuristic Sixties-inspired shield sunglasses, enhancing the collection’s avant-garde essence and adding an extra layer of innovative flair to the ensemble.
The Cycle of Life and Sustainable Innovation
This collection is a portrayal of a poetic, albeit alien universe, reflecting the philosophical essence of existence and nonexistence. The garments light up like polychromatic kaleidoscopes, only to fade back to their initial state, symbolizing the ultimate fate of all living organisms at the mercy of time.
This season, Anrealage has introduced environmentally-friendly photochromic PVC, developed from next-generation phthalate-free plasticizers, showcasing the brand's commitment to sustainability and environmental consciousness.
Kuniniko Morinaga’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection philosophy, innovation, and aesthetic brilliance, transporting the audience into a world where colors narrate the tales of existence and transparency becomes the light of life. Discover more on anrealage.com.