YUIMA NAKAZATO COUTURE SS25 pushes boundaries again. His SS25 couture collection is here. It is titled ‘FADE’. This season marks a big shift. Nakazato is focusing on storytelling. Pure technical skill takes a backseat. He invites us to another world.
YUIMA NAKAZATO COUTURE SS25: FADE into a New Reality
He finds inspiration globally. This time, he went to the White Desert. It is called Sahara el Beyda. This land was once ocean floor. Erosion shaped its white rock formations. It speaks of vast time scales. Time far beyond human life.
The YUIMA NAKAZATO COUTURE SS25 journey brought challenges. His car got lost at night. Hours passed without a signal. Dust filled the backseat. Yuima’s mind began to wander. He entered endless imagination. An ancient Japanese myth surfaced. It was about the giant Namazu catfish. This creature lives underground. It causes earthquakes, folklore says.
The Desert’s Tale
The collection name is ‘FADE’. It means weathering over time. Things gradually disappear. Memories can fade. Materials also degrade. While lost, Yuima saw visions. Memories, dreams, reality blurred. He saw the desert differently. It felt like Tokyo’s future. Climate change is fading our environment now. It transforms things completely. This desert vision felt very real.
Craft Meets Cutting-Edge
Nakazato translates the Sahara story. He uses clothing as his medium. Technical innovation remains key. Environmental impact is a focus. The methods blend old and new. Vintage Japanese kimono looms were used. Unique textiles were created. They combine Japanese lacquer art. New materials are also present. Brewed Protein™ fibres by Spiber Inc. feature prominently. Digital printing adds another layer. AI photo processing helped, too.
A major technical goal was met. DFT technology advanced significantly. This system regenerates used clothing. Garments from Africa are reborn. This took three years of work.
Atelier handcrafting reached new levels. This collection demanded intense hours. Craftsmanship is a brand symbol. Each crochet piece took a long time. The average time was 500 hours. The golden ceramic dress is iconic. It required over 1,000 hours. More than 2,000 ceramic pieces were used. Each piece was crafted by hand. They were glazed and threaded. Beadings were added one by one.
From the Designer
This place, it is said, was the bottom of the ocean millions of years ago.
I travelled to the Sahara el Beyda, a white desert in the corner of the vast Sahara.
To think about the faraway memories that dwell on this planet.
In the expanse of geometrical urban landscapes,
I stand atop the sight of rocks that take the shape of giant mushrooms.
Memories, dreams, reveries, and the real world fuse.
I become unsure of which reality I’m in.
When the sun sets, the White Desert transforms in an instant.
In darkness, the land of sand shifts into the shape of waves with gusts of wind,
as if it were turning into liquid.
A giant creature is underground – once it emerges,
this becomes a persistent thought that refuses to leave my mind.
The long night ends and the Sun starts to rise again.
Here is Tokyo from the future.
– Yuima Nakazato
The New Couture Landscape
Yuima Nakazato is a force. Born in 1985, he trained at Antwerp’s Royal Academy. Since 2016, he has been an official guest designer. He is the only Japanese member. His brand had its first exhibition. “Beyond Couture” showed in Calais (2024). He also designs for performance. Boston Ballet and Geneva National Theatre commissioned him. Nakazato champions education, too. He founded the FASHION FRONTIER PROGRAM. It teaches emerging designers. The focus is on social and environmental issues.
YUIMA NAKAZATO is defining modern haute couture. It is more than just exquisite clothes. It blends ancient craft with future tech. It tells global, impactful stories. This approach resonates deeply now. It highlights sustainability and innovation. It pushes creative boundaries. This is haute couture’s evolution. It speaks to a new generation. It sets a bold path for the market.
What do you think of ‘FADE’? Share your thoughts below! Follow Style Cartel on Instagram.
