Y-3, the collaborative project between Yohji Yamamoto and adidas, has looked to the Three Stripes’ longstanding legacy of performance innovation for its latest FW23 Chapter 4 collection.
Chapter 4 features a host of dynamic winter-ready designs, including puffers, parkers and vests featuring elevated metal zips and an adjustable snap button closure, allowing the wearer to adjust the garment to achieve an asymmetrical look, as well as a selection of pieces featuring a distorted brushstroke motif, presented through all over graphic prints.
As part of the capsule, Y-3 moved from apparel to footwear, introducing two new silhouettes. The Y-3 Gendo, which takes the base of the adidas Ssuperstar and distorts it with a fully hollowed-out TPU plate and the Y-3 KYASU, which is available in both a high and low cut and serves as a brutalist exploration of minimalist footwear. Also featuring amongst the footwear offerings are signature takes on the Y-3 Superstar, Y-3 Marathon and Y-3 Gazelle.
The collection expands on the narrative established in FW23 Chapter 3, which drew on the collegiate motif seen in previous seasons for an entirely new context. Chapter 4 shifts from Berlin’s beating music scene to its everyday community of artists, capturing the raw intimacy of the city’s creative community. The cast remains true to Y-3’s identity, which features a host of local faces as they find their way in the city. It includes painter and dancer Cecile, sculptor and video artist Henri, music producer Gabriel, tattoo artist and painter Sabi, agricultural sciences student Mareline, art student Yuuki, and DJ and music producer Jannis.
Clothing is designed with the metropolis in mind, with shots highlighting utilitarian features such as double zippers, belts and cargo pockets. The campaign captures the Berlin locals against an industrial backdrop, which feels particularly authentic to the German capital, a former industrial powerhouse turned creative hub.
The Y-3 FW23 Chapter 4 campaign’s focus on the lived experience of the city is at the heart of the brand. The collaborative project served as a way for the Japanese designer to ensure that ordinary people were wearing his designs, something which he doubted when the brand launched in 2002. At more than 20 years old, Y-3 was ahead of the curve when it came to fusing the worlds of luxury and streetwear, combining Yamamoto’s avant-garde designs with adidas’ street-ready sportswear.
The collection is available to shop now on the adidas webstore.
More on Culted
