Sacai Luck (Q3580)

The notion of a uniform runs entirely against Chitose Abe's design process; nothing she does is uniform. Hence, perhaps, the draw. Abe, who is Tokyo-based, was not in Paris to present her Resort collection, but it was easy enough to spot how she juxtaposed utility detailing with her signature grosgrain, added utility patch pockets to lace, and incorporated army green as a key color story without inviting any combat associations. It wasn't just the color that interested her; the army-green fabric—dense yet lightweight—was velvet in its penultimate state, right before the pile becomes exposed.The more you observe Abe's design particularities, the more challenging they are to explain—even for Sacai Luck, which is considered her more accessible range. The suit lining stamped with what may or may not be a zebra-stripe pattern seemed straightforward enough. As was the elongated, accordion-pleated skirts that drew attention to a visible underpinning. But the belt from a lace blouse that extended out and around a bomber jacket started to get into higher-level hybridization—in a good way.Abe's ruffles—whether a flared finish to a skirt, a fluted emphasis to a cuff, or a softened ruff around the neck—are now an inextricable part of the Sacai identity, and seeing them so well integrated into masculine pieces confirmed her ongoing interest in gender crossover combined with an instinctive yin-yang cool. An all-in-one lace short jumpsuit with men's shirting inserts and an extra-wide bomber collar expressed this seamlessly.