The Vibe :
⊹ Five models changing character through live, layered transformations
⊹ Kimono construction pushed into modular and shifting proportions
⊹ Ceramic chainmail molded closely around the body
⊹ Tenerife landscapes translated into waves, flames and translucent panels
Yuima Nakazato’s Fall 2026 couture collection did not ask its five models to disappear backstage and return as someone new. The transformations happened in full view. Dressers and Nakazato rearranged modular layers at the Maison des Métallos, drawing from Japanese theater traditions in which changing clothing can signal a new character or the passage of time. Rectangular kimono construction supplied the foundation, but nothing remained fixed for long.
Named “Inferno,” the collection placed water and fire inside the clothes rather than treating them as scenery. Photographs from Nakazato’s trip to Tenerife appeared across recycled fabric panels, with elongated blue forms pulled into wave-like shapes and gold chains tracing hotter lines across the body. Ceramic chainmail emerged beneath the opening looks, creating an unexpectedly delicate grid against the loose, watery layers above it.
Clay became more precise in the bustier section. Digital tools helped Nakazato form hundreds of small ceramic squares around the body, allowing the tiled pieces to sit closely instead of behaving like rigid plates. Blue gave way to silver, gold and red as panels were removed or repositioned. Horned masks and dramatic headpieces pushed several looks toward Japanese stage fantasy, while long silk panels caught the air and briefly changed the outline again.
The closing additions were louder and less controlled. Translucent printed strips curled around one coat like loose flames, while another surface was covered in tiny bells that announced every movement. Nakazato has spent years arguing that couture can function as contemporary art, and the permanent preservation of his archival work by the Metropolitan Museum of Art gives that position institutional weight. “Inferno,” however, was most convincing at its most physical: ceramic squares meeting skin, fabric lifting in the air and one garment visibly becoming another.
Extra Style Notes
Brand DNA
Founded in Tokyo by Antwerp-trained designer Yuima Nakazato, the label treats couture as a laboratory for modular construction, recycled materials, digital techniques, and one-of-a-kind garments shaped around the wearer.
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