Eastern Exposure

Mihara Yasuhiro
Japan’s Mihara Yasuhiro is a rare bird:  quietly eccentric, bashful and boyish while others are reaching sky high into the avant-garde. This time, he did trashed college basics, an homage to Thoreau’s Walden a nature lover’s classic that inspired the lead character in the film Into The Wild. It’s an artfully holey blend of outdoor gear, like bleached out ponchos and Navajo blanket pattern sweaters, with customized art touches. The art part shows in American flag print denim—creased, folded—and coats, covered top-to-toe with animal heads. It’s kind of spooky.

Dior Homme
Oh it’s all luxe, calme et volupté over at Dior Homme for spring. Creative Director Kris Van Assche is not making clothes that require assiduous workouts. Nope, he’s into flowing shapes, and this season they’re generically Asian-inspired and minimalist—emhpasis on the general and generic-ness of the references. The silky East-meets-West trench and tunic with V-neck which crosses over like a kimono looked almost celestial, as did the men on the runway with a solid bloc of Asian models that made a statement about where the sales are for high-end fashion these days. >