Upcycling, but make it couture. For Spring/Summer 2025, Junya Watanabe transforms everyday materials into otherworldly beauty — collaging motocross gear, Tyvek bags, Velcro, and even soundproofing foam into sculptural coats and sharply cut cocktail dresses.
Inspired by Ex Machina’s coolly calculated robot heroine, Watanabe imagines an AI-crafted wardrobe built from the remnants of a Kyoto motorcycle garage. The result? A bold collision of functionality and fantasy.
Models stormed the runway in silver cowboy boots and futuristic helmets, blurring the lines between skydiver, cyber club kid, and space explorer — all soundtracked by Sam Smith’s take on “I Feel Love.”
Industrial fabrics gave rise to peplums, puffed sleeves, and portrait necklines — nods to midcentury couture, filtered through a sci-fi lens. With every sharp line and foiled finish, Watanabe redefined elegance through a post-human gaze.
