Why on Earth has Vogue not digitized this collection yet?
The photos went triple platinum on Pinterest: undone hair and tired eyes, giant knit cuffs folded over inky black zip-up gowns, sumptuous hand-knit scarves spilling over top of a delicious velveteen coat. Autumn Goth Fantasy, who? Practical Magic obsession, where? Yohji Yamamoto knows what the girls want: soft and cozy fall garments that make you feel only a tiny bit like a Salemite Witch.
For some mind-boggling reason, this collection has yet to be digitized in Vogue Runway’s archive. They have Fall/Winter 1998’s ready-to-wear show (great turtleneck inspo btw!) and they even have Spring/Summer 1999’s ready-to-wear collection (featuring THIS look, which feels shockingly similar to Celine Dion’s backward Galliano suit for the 1999 Oscars), but no FW99…
Speaking of a Galliano similarity: this isn’t the first time we’ve seen the two designers in artistic lockstep with one another. Actually, Look #94 in the collection in question (Fall/Winter 1999) featured a gaggle of tilted 1890s-inspired hats and billowing coat dresses that felt very reminiscent of classic Galliano — although some could argue this is a bit of a “chicken or the egg”-type phenomena. Who tackled the late-1800s “loose woman” fantasy first: Yohji or Galliano? You could make a strong argument for either. Safe to say, they both had their fingers HOT on the same sartorial pulse for quite a while.
FW99 was a triumph for Yamamoto. It featured not only his signature elegant simplicity but also more daring, sculptural silhouettes and bold pops of color. It’s surprising how well this collection has stood the test of time. There are certainly elements of ‘90s fads present here (a quick poncho moment, anyone?), but they don’t read as hacky or overly contrite. "Fashions fade, style is eternal," Yves Saint Laurent said — and Yamamoto knew (and still knows) that all too well.
We saw these same styles and silhouettes reawakened during FW24. The brand Cos showed quite a few drapey black maxi coats and oversized men’s suiting looks, Miu Miu played with bold pops of color alongside more hearty, neutral knits and Y/Project nailed the same flowy, vampiric, witchy silhouette we saw in Yamamoto’s vision.
This fall, why don’t you take some inspiration from Yohji Yamamoto’s insanely decadent archive? eBay is a treasure trove for Yohji knits — with some of them at very reasonable price points! If you liked the maxi looks from the show, they have some 3-piece knit sets along with a whole bunch of incredible long coats and dusters. They even have a suit jacket made of the same delicious, caramel-colored velour fabric!
If anything, let this runway retrospective serve as a reminder that you CAN have beautiful fashion. These spectacular vintage shows and archival treasures don’t exist in some far-off fantasy land. They’re sitting in resale shops all across the world, just waiting for you to rediscover them — sometimes at unbelievably low price points. Don’t be afraid to look! 🌀
Kaitlin Owens is a vintage fashion writer, movie buff, lover of good eats, and a women’s size 7.5 (if any shoe brands are reading). She is the Editor-in-Chief of Dilettante Magazine. You can find her on socials @magdilettante.