By Jesse Scott
IM Men led us into the alluring world of “bamboo shadows” for a sensual Spring/Summer 2027 show that oscillated between the exotic and the familiar. In an all-white space filled with the gentle rhythm of gongs and flutes, models appeared onto the catwalk first as dramatic silhouettes and then as vivid color-blocked forms with distinctive accessories. Inspired by East Asian decorative arts, the collection was a cross-cultural celebration of ancient traditions and contemporary style. Ink wash paintings and katazome kimono dyeing served as strong references. However, when lent to IM men’s fluid designs and ever-innovative construction methods, they appeared to herald a new form of intellectual sartorialism which sublimates barefoot elegance with technical prowess.
IM Men Spring/Summer 2027: Opening look and Look 3. Courtesy Louise Daniel.
Bamboo, in Infinite Forms
The collection was divided into several different modules each referencing bamboo in a particular (and often ingeniously trompe l’oeil) way. My personal favorite was the Bamboo Shadows series in partnership with graphic designer Rikako Nagashima, who used a traditional Japanese dying method called ironaki to simulate the shadows cast by bamboo leaves on flowing garments of bamboo fibers and organic cotton (Looks 1, 6). Also memorable was the Basket Jacquard series, which simulated the gozame bamboo weaving technique through jacquard weaving. Finally, there was the Bloom Nylon series, which mirrored bamboo leaves through vivid patterns and is structurally centered on a dramatic collar made of overlapping tucks. It was inspired by the “twelve-layered kimono” famously worn by Princess Kaguya in The Tale of the Bamboo-Cutter (Look 41). Even denim was dyed in a way to evoke bamboo imagery. The remarkable depth and breadth of this collection, and the ability of design team Sen Kawahara, Yuki Itakura, and Nobutaka Kotayashi to synthesize so many different concepts into one cohesive oeuvre, is testament to the clarity of vision that has now defined IM Men for some time.
Look 42: BLOOM NYLON outerwear in full volume, its paper-textured nylon blooming in bamboo-leaf and petal tones beneath a Kaguya-inspired tucked collar. Courtesy Louise Daniel.
Accessories Star as Heritage Meets Modernity
IM Men, hewing closely to the East Asian theme, designed one of the best accessory collections of this season. Bamboo hats added a sophisticated yet nostalgic touch to richly colored pleated ensembles in Looks 32 and 36. Bamboo-frond-inspired bags highlighted Looks 30 and 37 while re-interpreted neck rings (recalling those worn by the Kayan women in Myanmar) defined Looks 23 and 24. Scarves-cum-parasols also emerged, such as on the beautifully-patterned Look 31.
IM Men Spring/Summer 2027: Looks 23, 30, 31, 37. Courtesy IM Men.
Every aspect of this show was carefully considered, from the color contrast of the pure white space and the vibrant looks to the ice packs that were handed out at the door (much needed given that this began yet another day of 8+ events in 95+ Fahrenheit heat). During a week in which finding shade seemed a constant theme, the “bamboo shadows” of IM Men Spring/Summer 2027 emerged as one of the season’s most innovative, culturally rich, and ultimately gorgeous efforts.