Junya Watanabe has established himself as one of the leading voices in avant-garde fashion. His collections often blur the line between fashion and art, embodying the essence of ホンモノ (honmono), a Japanese term meaning "the real thing.” For Watanabe, this translates to a commitment to standards, history, and complete work. His collaboration with celebrated milliner, makeup artist, and hairstylist Katsuya Kamo exemplifies this idea of striving for authenticity. The intricate headpieces Kamo designs are not just accessories but integral elements that complete Watanabe's vision. By pushing the boundaries of form and silhouette, their work demonstrates that headpieces can carry as much narrative weight as the garments themselves.
Junya Watanabe, a protégé of Rei Kawakubo, studied at Bunka Fashion College before joining Comme des Garçons as a pattern cutter in 1984. In 1987, he became the designer of the womenswear line Tricot Comme des Garçons, before launching his own line, Junya Watanabe Comme des Garçons, in 1992.
Around this time, Katsuya Kamo, who had trained as a hairstylist and gained experience in Paris under Tetsuya Tamura, returned to Tokyo in 1995 and began working closely with Watanabe. Kamo quickly made a name for himself with his avant-garde approach to hair. His collaborations extended to creating sculptural headpieces for designers like Fendi, Chanel, Haider Ackermann, and Maison Martin Margiela. However, it was Kamo’s collaboration with Watanabe that truly flourished, forming a dynamic partnership.
Kamo had the unique ability to craft headpieces as extensions of the designer's vision. His early collaborations with Watanabe began in the mid-1990s, alongside other designers like Jun Takahashi of Undercover. On the runway, Kamo's headpieces served as both architectural and symbolic elements, complementing Watanabe’s technical and conceptual approach to fashion.
The orbital headpieces featured in Junya Watanabe’s SS 2000 collection exemplify the abstract and futuristic elements of Katsuya Kamo’s work. The orbit-like structures, made from sturdy wire frames and vibrant colored disks, encircle the models’ heads, adding a celestial quality to the looks and evoking images of planets in outer space.
The collection itself, titled “Function and Practicality,” incorporates water-repellent fabric created by the Japanese mill Toray. Many of the pieces are reversible, shifting from one form to another, driving home the ideas of utility and innovation. The orbital headpieces mirror the transformative nature of the garments, reinforcing the concept that function and practicality are always in motion. This interplay between innovation and transformation became central to Watanabe’s vision, with the headpieces serving as essential components that underscored the collection's core ideas.
In his FW 2003 collection, Watanabe takes a different approach to representing femininity in his designs. He reinterprets Edwardian-era garments and hats by deconstructing them, leaving hems loose and rough. According to System Magazine, Junya himself states that he deepened his interest and knowledge by deconstructing many authentic, well-tailored garments sourced from flea markets and antique shops in London. This influence is evident in the silhouettes, which capture a traditional London aesthetic.
The headpieces in this collection feature wild, matted hair that extends far beyond the models’ faces and shoulders. Kamo designs them to appear untamed, matching the rough hems of the garments. These elements invite viewers to question beauty and fashion from a less conventional perspective.
Junya Watanabe’s SS 2006 collection features exaggerated spiked mohawks designed by Katsuya Kamo. Made from paper, these dramatic, sculptural forms extend upward. The models’ faces are obscured with cling wrap, adding to the avant-garde nature of the headpieces. Watanabe bridges traditional high fashion and subcultures, merging elements of punk rebellion with the uniformity and elegance expected on the runway. This creates a dialogue about the balance between order (represented by most of the garments) and anarchy.
This concept is particularly significant in womenswear, as it challenges conventional standards of femininity and beauty. By incorporating punk aesthetics into high fashion, Watanabe empowers women to embrace individuality and self-expression, moving away from traditional, restrictive notions of femininity while maintaining the uniformity of the garments.
The influence of the Spring 2006 collection laid the groundwork for the FW 2006 show, where the mohawks evolved into full head-covering masks made from duct tape, hair, and long silver spikes. Staying true to his deconstructive approach, Watanabe reworked traditional military uniforms into layered, form-fitting garments. He softened the precision and rigidity often associated with military attire by incorporating layering and texture.
While masks are often used to obscure identity and shift focus to the clothes, Watanabe and Kamo took this concept further. The masks became key to the militarized world they created. Made from unconventional materials, these masks highlighted themes of protection, aggression, and anonymity, evoking a post-apocalyptic, survivalist aesthetic. Far from being mere accessories, the masks reinforced the idea that in this world, people hide their identities and rely on clothing for both defense and visual impact.
In Junya Watanabe’s FW 2008 collection, fashion and sculpture merge seamlessly. Katsuya Kamo designs bold, exaggerated structures that contrast with the draping and fluidity of Watanabe’s garments. While the clothing flows effortlessly, the headpieces communicate a sense of permanence and strength. Merged with the models’ heads using mesh material, the headpieces provoke the question: Is Watanabe suggesting that while the head remains constant, the body of fashion is ever-changing?
From a communication perspective, Malcolm Barnard, a Senior Lecturer at Loughborough University and theorist of visual culture, analyzes fashion in his work Fashion as Communication as a system of signs. Each element of dress and adornment communicates identity, status, or artistic intent. Through this lens, one could interpret the FW 2008 collection as suggesting that trends and aesthetics may be fluid, but Watanabe’s dedication to design is enduring and timeless.
The collaboration between Junya Watanabe and Katsuya Kamo sparks rich conversations about blurring the lines between art and wearable design. The beauty of their innovative and unique headpieces and garments lies in their ability to invite viewers to engage with the work from multiple perspectives, allowing for wildly varied personal interpretations. Watanabe's avant-garde vision, paired with Kamo’s sculptural artistry, highlights how headpieces can extend the concept of the garments rather than serve as mere decoration. Ultimately, their collaboration reflects a strong commitment to authenticity and creativity, encouraging exploration of the many meanings behind their artistic expressions.
Author: Angel Agbontaen
Editor: Soukita Morgan