Padded Yet Elegant By Yohji Yamamoto that We Have Never Seen Before

Since 1981, Yohji Yamamoto has graced Paris Fashion Week with his shows for nearly half a century. Known for his free spirit unbound by societal norms and his defiant resistance to trends, he continues to express his rebellious ethos through his clothing. However, for the 2025-26 Fall/Winter collection, Yamamoto turned that defiance inward, rebelling against himself.

Backstage after the show, he greeted me—a Japanese journalist—with a playful joke: "I can’t speak Japanese very well." Amused, he proceeded to answer my questions with his characteristic wit. "This season, I decided to stuff ordinary clothes with cotton. Basically, I hate items made with puffers. That’s exactly why I decided to use puffers." His deliberately contradictory explanation was quintessentially Yamamoto.

This season's looks are almost entirely composed of pieces featuring puffers and quilting. However, they steer clear of sporty elements or clunky impressions, instead exuding the elegance and allure characteristic of Yohji Yamamoto. Single-breasted jackets and Chester coats are crafted from nylon, with quilting applied horizontally, diagonally, and vertically. He has carved out a new category by blending the formalweartailoring with the nylon and puffer elements of sportswear.

The rebellious spirit of Yohji Yamamoto is also reflected in his choice of materials that are rarely, if ever, used for puffer jackets, such as fabrics with a worn-in texture or silk-linen blends. At the same time, his well-known warmth and humanity shine through in the collection. These qualities are embodied in the practical design, where the needs of modern wearers seeking active town-use apparel are addressed. The outerwear features quilted, waterproof nylon lining, making it reversible for versatility. During the show, models removed their jackets, turned them inside out, and swapped them with other models approaching from the opposite direction, showcasing two distinct ways to style the pieces.

The bottoms, like the outerwear, are predominantly quilted and feature a reversible design. The waistband includes an inside-out detail that intentionally exposes the garment's inner structure. Many items inspired by suits and workwear are padded to add volume and convey a sense of weight. However, they never exude the ruggedness often associated with sportswear, thanks to the meticulously calculated distribution of the padding. Yamamoto has pursued elegance by achieving a golden ratio for puffer silhouettes. He omits padding from the shoulders, arms, and sides, gradually increasing the volume from the top down to create a subtly flared shape. Yamamoto's clothes always emphasize the beauty of the silhouette and exude elegance through skillful cutting. The dedication to craft is evident in the production process, as every piece of padding is meticulously hand-filled.

But why explore down outerwear now? His answer was simple. "Every morning, after walking my dog, I stop by a café. Watching people on the street, I often see very cheap-looking down jackets," he said, covering his mouth with his hand in a playful laugh. Inspired by these everyday scenes, the collection brought this essence of daily life to the runway, immersing the audience in his unique world.

The runway featured individuals from Yamamoto’s circle, such as ballet dancer Hugo Marchand, photographer Mohamed Bourouissa, and artist couple Carla Arocha and Stéphane Schraenen. Their commanding presence created a synergy with Yamamoto's inventive pieces, accentuating the individuality of the wearer.

The collection was born out of Yamamoto's encounters with ordinary, mass-produced down outerwear in daily life and his own resistance to down jackets. The phrases inscribed on the outerwear, such as "I’m trying to create something that does not exist in the world" and "Sadness and suffering are the flowers of life," seemed to encapsulate Yamamoto’s life philosophy—one that also embodies the essence of his craft.

This new line of clothing adapts to lifestyles in cities experiencing increased annual rainfall. The garments are padded, warm, and envelop the wearer, all while elevating them with unparalleled elegance.

Courtesy: Yohji Yamamoto

Text: Elie Inoue