Facetasm (Q3090)
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Facetasm is a fashion house from FMD.
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Facetasm |
Facetasm is a fashion house from FMD. |
Statements
“It’s about togetherness and bringing together, or clashing, elements. You know, Ivy style with something totally different, like neon lace,” said Facetasm’s Hiromichi Ochiai of his coed Spring thinking. If it looks messy in the slideshow, that was largely deliberate—disco confetti smattered the floor, suggesting something of a party’s demise—but it was also ultimately . . . well, just that. Kind of a mess.For example, a fringed and glitzy band strapped its way over a worn-backward cerulean shirt. The logic in it felt lackadaisical; conscious collision is one thing, but this didn’t seem well reasoned. Another instance: a blazer, accented with a skinny navy ribbon tie, over a Victoriana-frilled shirt, over a neon blue plastic pleated skirt, over gray trousers. Facetasm is by no means known for minimalism, but a cleaner realization here, at least in styling, would have added points.Where Ochiai’s concept was executed more efficiently was with Facetasm’s specialty: jackets. A patchwork denim piece featured zips that came together orbitally in the center of the back; another was an Ivy prep varsity option hybridized and color-blocked with windbreaker sleeves. The gist, though, was that Facetasm’s focus wasn’t as noticeable as usual for Spring. It was an experiment, and to some extent it paid off, but a consistent beat and connectivity was fundamentally lacking.
20 June 2018
Hiromichi Ochiai named his Facetasm Fall collection—with both men’s and women’s shown together—Emotion. His show notes declared: “As we grow older, we begin to hide these pure emotions that we once so strongly felt as kids. Then, suddenly, these emotions come pouring out, as if a flood hit a broken dam.” In conversation backstage, he lightened that up a bit: “Yes, it is different emotions mixed together, but in the end . . . we are asking the models to smile. In the end, it is happy.”In the infinite ways that feelings can manifest, Ochiai sought to capture this gamut by using myriad fabrics. Some were pleated, some stayed crinkled. Others were distorted or layered or fringed or knotted. Each, he said, was a demonstration of a different mental state. And, given the variation, the results were just as mixed.The men’s side was convincing: A varsity jacket, standard in shape but mutated with free-flying tassels, registered. Same for color-blocked anoraks, baseball-inspired separates, and denim coats with shearling linings—Ochiai partnered with Woolmark this season and “got to visit Australia and see the sheep.” The women’s effort was more jumbled—knitted bodysuits, worn over trousers, were not especially appealing and seemed overdone. The same could be said for shearling-covered bright yellow shoes, sheer stockings, and mismatched trenches that didn’t quite come to full fruition.But going back to his press release point about the “emotions that we once so strongly felt askids.” There’s an air of nostalgia in the collections this season, and Ochiai was on the money in recognizing it. One wouldn’t necessarily think of nostalgia when viewing Facetasm’s lineup, but it did convey, somehow, the experimentation and the inevitable flaws of youthful experience. And that, overall, made for a likable takeaway.
17 January 2018
“An unconventional harmony created by dissonance.” That was a line from Facetasm’s Spring show notes, and it best summed up designer Hiromichi Ochiai’s collection of non-linear and mixed-message men’s and womenswear today (walked, worth noting, by models of all ages).Harmonious dissonance could be felt in peculiarities like a men’s hunting jacket that had a long, flowing train, or a series of polka-dotted bathrobes, one worn under an outsized coat in a polka-dot scheme of jewel-tone colors. Women wore tulle tops and trench coats alike, and both sexes sported graphic knee-high sock layering (it looked like there were mid-calf versions worn at the same time as higher- reaching pairs). Pants were gigantic and slouchy, and a purple velvet corduroy jumpsuit stood out for its surprise element.But despite the visual texture, this collection registered as mildly listless, maybe because of the dull soundtrack and the un-air-conditioned room. Dissonance can be, and was at times, effective, but even so, greater conviction in the chaos would’ve strengthened the work. Transcending categorization takes a certain finesse and originality that wasn’t quite exhibited here. Really, the most interesting thing at Facetasm today was an eye-catching beauty trick; etched outlines of flowers were painted on the female models’ lips. That touch was unconventional in an arty and alluring way.
21 June 2017
Before getting into the clothes, let us say this: Facetasm designer Hiromichi Ochiai deserves a big shout-out for the highly diverse cast at his Fall 2017 show today in Paris. You’ve heard it before and often, so we won’t harp, other than to say that the industry still has a way to go in regard to equal catwalk representation.Diversity of the individual and the internal—the way we live online versus IRL or even between locations—was also part of Ochiai’s thinking. He credits this to his home megalopolis of Tokyo where “anything goes” despite it appearing “systemized.” This led to some hits and some misses in the garments themselves, which were compositions of different sartorial categories. On the most extreme end of the splicing: puffer jacket material and slip-dress lingerie for women, and, for men, a gnarly deerskin bomber inlaid on the shoulder with knitted striped cuffing—the sort of trim you’d normally see at the wrist of a varsity jacket.Outerwear for both sexes was large and heavy—armor-like, almost, and not in hardness but in the sheer amount of fabric used. Velvet shoes had bed skirts wrapping their blocky heels; a blush-color duffle coat was so outsize it could’ve been an especially warm bathrobe. Suffice to say, there was a lot happening. But, with Ochiai’s non-exclusionary mind-set, one can forgive him for the loose editing. All in all, an interesting and enjoyable show to watch.
18 January 2017
WhileFacetasmmay be an established presence in Tokyo, this morning marked the brand’s Paris runway debut. As the first new show on the official calendar, it played the unofficial role of hype man, delivering a necessary jolt of cool to get a week of heavyweights started right. Hiromichi Ochiai, who was shortlisted for the LVMH Prize, said he approached the collection no differently just because the stakes might be perceived as higher. “I just wanted to show myself and what I’m good at,” he said nonchalantly backstage, as his seven-month-old son bobbed on his lap.To this end, his lineup of idiosyncratic, confidently styled looks flowed through exercises that pushed tailoring and layering in unexpected ways: An elongated suit tunic, and deconstructed tailored jackets paired with roomy shorts or ample trousers opened the show; followed by shirts fused with crisscrossed cricket knit necklines; and then a lively dose of streetwear in which plaid, camouflage, and a collaged digital print increasingly turned up both color and proportional volume. As for what the checkered T-shirt backed with feathers orThe Last Supperrendered as a chenille varsity-jacket patch revealed about Ochiai, the obvious observation is that he allows himself to have fun.When asked whether he would describe his style as punk, the designer demurred, offering "freestyle" instead. Duly noted. But it’s worth qualifying that the looks were ultimately controlled. All those remixed jeans, spliced athletic sweatshirts, and redesigned mascots could only have resulted from much fine-tuning. And on that note, the correct pronunciation of the brand is FASS-e-TA-zum, as in facets, not face. If you didn’t know, now you know.
22 June 2016
Founder: Hiromichi OchiaiYear established: 2007Known for: Menswear and womenswear that combine Ochiai’s pop and fashion culture influences such as Gus Van Sant films, skate culture, and the Antwerp SixWorn by: Fashion obsessives who shop at Dover Street MarketSpring 2016 inspiration: East-meets-West men’s workwear with a femme spirit
12 October 2015
Hiromichi Ochiai founded the label Facetasm in Tokyo in 2007. The name refers to the many facets of a diamond, and reflects a style ethos based on the idea of unbalancing things to create a new balance. In other words, a typically Japanese approach that is part conceptual and part punk, translated into inventive yet highly wearable clothing.Facetasm's show today in the Armani Teatro was the label's ninth and arguably the best since Giorgio Armani began the program of loaning out his space in support of buzzing fashion talent. The collection felt fresh and energetic, all loose lines, dynamic asymmetries, roomy volumes, and a pervading idea of reconfigured functionalism. A Day-Glo vest with a reflective band looked like it was culled directly from the wardrobe of a street worker and adapted for the urban dweller. Skirts were featured prominently, but they looked plausible instead of farcical. The dark color palette cemented the message of off-kilter pragmatism.It's interesting that Armani choose Ochiai's talent this season, because this Japanese designer looks at first completely at odds with the Maestro's quest for serenity, calm, and purism. Ochiai, in contrast, seeks to produce a feeling of discomfort that in turn pushes things forward. Maybe it's because opposites attract. At second glance, however, the closeness with Emporio Armani's fierce metropolitanism was suggestive.
22 June 2015
Founder: Hiromichi OchiaiYear established: 2007Known for: Menswear and womenswear that combine Ochiai's pop and fashion culture influences such as Gus Van Sant films, skate culture, and the Antwerp SixWorn by: Fashion obsessives who shop at Dover Street MarketFall 2015 inspirations: Love! Not of the romantic variety, but how creativity and designing clothes make Ochiai's heart beat fast
23 March 2015
We're posting runway pictures from Fashion Week Tokyo. See the full list of designers here. To read our daily reports on the collections, visit our Style File blog. And don't miss our street-style coverage.
21 March 2013
We're posting runway pictures from Tokyo fashion week for the first time ever. See the full list of designers here. To read our daily reports on the collections, visit our Style File blog. And don't miss Tommy Ton's street-style shots.
12 October 2012