Atsuro Tayama Fall 2004: Atsuro Tayama Fails In Attempt To Live Up To Expectations
By: Contributing Writer

PARIS, Apr 9, 2004/ FW/ --- This hurts me more to write than it will Atsuro Tayama to read, but his Fall/Winter collection was a general letdown.

The collection seemed to be dominated by wrong tuxedos and fox furs that died long before hitting Tayama’s runway.

One or two good tuxedos are fine but one third of the entire collection? That’s a bit much especially when they do little for innovation and overall affect. The silhouettes were neither feminine nor masculine. They were just there, coming down the runway in a sad procession.

The black, double-breasted suit with skirt suit in crepe was most uninspiring. It had a long black shirt that had tails going on forever lasting! Why!?!. The other tuxedos either in black or in white were as equally disappointing and sad.

His black lamé dress with open shoulders but with flowing sleeves for added affect was an improvement but was not enough to carry the collection.

I hate saying unflattering things about the work of others because I realize how personal the work is for those concerned. But what happened? Tayama has so much talent. Where did it go???

However in the designer’s favour, all was not a complete disaster. The ensemble of pin striped pants in grey charcoal with little a simple shirt and vest with one single arm is interesting. The leather tuxedo inspired jacket is hot!!! The coatdress with a black cummerbund in leather combination tuxedo was *BEATt! (*beat is a synonym for flawless)!!

His boots with wedged heels are cute and should prove to a commercial hit. I liked them because they spoke to me.

As for Tayama’s furs, someone had better call PETA before I do. They were unimaginatively used (or dare I say abused?). At best, they proved to be an unnecessary exercise in the use of fox hides. One can only hope that the poor animals had already died of old age long before being skinned for this collection.

Yet in all fairness to Tayama and to other designers, I must say that it is literally impossible for one designer to be on top of the game 100% of the time.

Atsuro Tayama is only human, perhaps too human for this collection. Perhaps we came to the show expecting a great deal too much of his talent, and were thusly and consequently disappointed.

Well now that all is said and done, the only thing that matters is that Tayama has immense talent. Let’s all do a collective round of finger crossing while waiting for the next collection.