Story by Editor-at-Large Europe CAROLINA OGLIARO
YUIMA NAKAZATO COUTURE SS25: FADE. An Evocation of Time, Myth, and Memory
In the ethereal glow of Paris, where the boundary between fashion and art becomes ever more blurred, YUIMA NAKAZATO presented his breathtaking Spring/Summer 2025 couture collection, FADE. This collection marks a profound shift in the designer’s journey, moving from the precision of technical innovation to the limitless realm of storytelling, where garments are not merely pieces of fabric, but portals into other worlds. It is a collection that envelops its audience in a narrative that transcends time, space, and memory, inviting them to experience a vision of the future that is as haunting as it is beautiful.
FADE is an invitation to step into a dreamscape where time itself is malleable. The collection finds its inspiration in the vast, untouched expanse of the Sahara Desert, specifically the White Desert National Park, or Sahara el Beyda, in the eastern Sahara. This land, which was once submerged under the ancient seas, now rises as an ethereal, chalk-white monument to the passage of millennia. Yuima Nakazato’s encounter with this ancient terrain became the spark for FADE, a collection rooted in the stories of time’s passage and the gradual erosion of the self.
As he ventured through this desert landscape, Yuima was struck by the way the rocks, carved by wind and sand over millions of years, seemed to tell the story of the Earth itself. Here, in this timeless void, he felt the vastness of cosmic time, an awareness of the world stretching far beyond the lifespan of any individual. Yet, amidst the quiet solitude of the desert, a sudden disquiet enveloped him. His car lost its way in the night, leaving him adrift in a landscape where neither GPS nor signals could guide him. With the harsh desert winds seeping through the gaps in the car, enveloping him in dust, his senses began to fade, visions, memories, and reality blended and bled together into one overwhelming tapestry. It was here, in this moment of disorientation, that Yuima’s mind drifted to the ancient Japanese myth of Namazu, the giant catfish said to dwell beneath the Earth and cause earthquakes. This mythical creature, the embodiment of a hidden, restless force, became the perfect metaphor for FADE, the rumbling, fading presence of something far beyond the surface.
The word fade itself holds great significance in Yuima’s vision for the collection. It evokes the impermanence of memories, the erosion of time, and the gradual disappearance of materials. In a world where the passage of time feels increasingly rapid, FADE explores the fragility of both the physical world and the psychological landscape. It speaks to the fading of moments, the erosion of environments, and the inevitable shifts that occur as the world transforms before our eyes. Yuima’s reflections on the desert’s timelessness and the way the landscape continuously changes in response to nature’s forces prompted him to consider a future that mirrored Tokyo’s own rapid transformation. FADE is, in many ways, a meditation on climate change and the fragility of our modern world, a world where both nature and human society are constantly shifting, fading, and evolving.
In crafting this collection, Yuima turned to the intersection of tradition and innovation. The work of the atelier was nothing short of monumental, blending cutting-edge technology with artisanal techniques that have been honed over centuries. The result is a collection that is as much about craftsmanship as it is about vision. FADE is a conversation between the old and the new, the traditional and the futuristic, where no detail is too small to be considered and no boundary too great to be crossed.
One of the most striking features of FADE is its use of textiles, materials that embody the duality of Yuima’s artistic vision. Vintage looms, traditionally used in the production of Japanese kimonos, were employed to weave intricate fabrics that draw from a rich cultural heritage. These materials were then fused with modern, groundbreaking technologies such as Brewed Protein™ fibers developed by Spiber Inc., and advanced digital printing techniques that incorporate AI photo processing. These technological innovations allowed Yuima to create fabrics that not only honor tradition but also push the boundaries of what is possible in the world of haute couture. The integration of traditional Japanese lacquer work with modern materials further emphasizes the collection’s commitment to bridging the past with the future, blending the timeless beauty of handcrafted artistry with the forward-looking promise of sustainability and technological progress.
Sustainability was a key consideration for Yuima throughout the development of this collection, and his use of the DFT technique, a method of regenerating used clothing brought back from Africa, serves as a testament to his commitment to minimizing environmental impact. After three years of research and experimentation, Yuima’s atelier reached a technical milestone that allowed them to repurpose discarded garments into high-end couture pieces, breathing new life into what was once considered waste. This approach aligns with the overarching theme of FADE, the notion that even the things we perceive as fading or disappearing can be transformed, reimagined, and reborn.
The craftsmanship of FADE is, without question, one of its most extraordinary elements. Each crochet piece took an average of 500 hours to create, a testament to the painstaking labor and artistry of the atelier. The most iconic piece in the collection, however, is the all-ceramic golden dress, a masterpiece that stands as the embodiment of the collection’s central theme. Crafted from over 2,000 ceramic pieces, each individually made, glazed, and threaded with beads by hand, the dress took no less than 1,000 hours to complete. It is both a work of art and a symbol of the collection’s meditation on time, fragility, and transformation. The golden ceramic dress shimmers with an otherworldly glow, as if capturing the fading light of the desert’s vast, timeless horizon.
FADE is a collection that speaks not only to the fragility of the natural world but to the deeper, more intangible elements of human existence, memories, emotions, and the stories we carry with us. Through Yuima Nakazato’s visionary design and remarkable craftsmanship, the collection offers a glimpse into a world where time fades, but beauty, myth, and imagination endure. It is a reminder that in the face of impermanence, the artistic spirit persists, weaving together threads of tradition, technology, and storytelling into something eternal.
In the midst of this Parisian showcase, FADE is more than a couture collection it is a journey. A journey through the shifting sands of memory, through the landscapes of myth and reality, and ultimately, a journey through the fading, ever-changing contours of time itself. It is a collection that captures the fleeting nature of life while celebrating the timeless power of imagination and creation.
