SS02 Junya Watanabe “Greet Others Pleasantly” Poem Button Up Shirt

Titled “Poem”, Junya Watanabe’s Spring 2002 collection demolished expectations for the Japanese creative. Walking an array of tragic confessions, abstract stanzas and few-word phrases like “watermelon” and “german dog”, the artisan strived to epitomize what love meant to each individual. Enlisting the tailors, pattern makers and underlying team to scribe their emotional viewpoints, each poem is inherently unique and personal to the author. The literature’s heterogeneity is sincere and authentic, reinforced by the subtly broken English in which it was translated to. Despite rather minimal garments, the poems illustrate an “aesthetic” far larger and insightful than many designers are able to convey. Not only are they captivating, they’re relatable and sincere, spoken from people, to people.

 

As each poem sits in a horizontal, staggered format, this garment opts for a vertical stance, lettering running from the bottom hem to the left shoulder. The stanza outlines how mechanical our salutations have become, and instead encourages “truthful greetings”. While our society becomes progressively more disconnected, the truth backing these statements grows in authenticity. When one asks “How are you?”, we should strive to honour said indulgence with genuine response. Tagged and fitting a size large, in great condition throughout.