This summer, Yasuko Furuta found herself in Paris during the height of a heat wave—and staying in an apartment without air-conditioning. As a result, the designer spent much of her time by an open window or wandering the nearby streets, observing how Parisians dressed for the heat. Unlike her hometown of Tokyo, where, even with the intense humidity, people tend to remain covered up—“A protective gesture,” Furuta suggested—in Paris, the looks leaned a little more risqué. “People really dressed with freedom and not a lot of fabric—very different to Tokyo,” she recalled. “So I wanted to find something between those two cities, to mix them together and do layers, but in a lighter way.”
Under a tent on the outdoor terrace of Somerset House, overlooking the Thames (and thus with a merciful breeze), Furuta showcased the product of those investigations on a warm Saturday afternoon in London. Her playful approach to layering could be seen in looks where trousers and skirts seemed to peel off the body, revealing ornate lining fabrics underneath, or her joyful approach to pattern clashing: sheer layers of a delicate rose print tied around the body or stacked on top of each other to create a shimmering, illusory effect, and some lovely, artful combinations of plaids. Despite opening and closing with a series of all-black looks, Furuta allowed herself to flex her abilities as a colorist: a caramel low-hanging V-neck sweater with vibrant marigold ruffled shorts; a pistachio green collared shirt with a pale yellow jacket; a clotted cream blazer with a barely there wisp of electric chartreuse organza underneath as a top of sorts.
And despite the somewhat bleak context surrounding the collection’s origins—who, this summer, hasn’t had to grapple with what dressing for extreme heat might look like as drought and wildfires raged across Europe—there were also a few celebratory touches: crystal-studded martini glass brooches; looks made from tufts of tinsel-like Lurex; party-ready dresses and jumpsuits with oversized, colorful roses studded across the bust. Not coincidentally, Furuta is gearing up for the brand’s 30th anniversary next year and has a series of collaborations and events in store to honor it. “I’m happy. It feels like a miracle. It’s my great love,” she said with a wide smile. How exactly is she planning to celebrate? “I’ve not decided yet. I’m rushing around right now. I just hope we make it to our 31st anniversary!”