Willkommen! Bienvenue! Welcome! Designer Emi Funayama spent the past few months rewatching the iconic 1972 musical Cabaret, and for this collection drew on the sensual confidence of Liza Minelli’s protagonist Sally Bowles for inspiration.
Fetico’s fräuleins walked out under a giant disco ball, dressed in flapper-inspired dresses that laced up at the sides or were cut out at the hips. Skirts and dresses flared at the bottom or were slit at the hem so they could let loose on the dance-floor. “I usually do a lot of straight and tight silhouettes, but this I thought it was cute to make hems that look beautiful when they’re moving, or when you dance,” she said after the show. Beyond Cabaret, the collection was an homage to the confidence of women on stage; Helena Bonham Carter’s “dark charm” also served as a reference point.
Later came some dashes of denim, which featured seams in the shape of underwear, while long-sleeved knitted mini dresses plunged to the navel, or were sheer to expose the lingerie worn underneath. It all felt polished and seductive—even the down coats were cinched at the waist to emphasize the curves of the body—showing off Funayama’s knack for bringing her unique brand of sexiness to everything she touches.
The clever, on-your-own-terms sensuality of Funayama’s collection fulfils a need that is missing in Japan right now. The designer has spent a lot of time thinking about how the women in her home country tend to dull their own light and sexuality in order to fit in with what everyone else is doing. With her intoxicating clothes, Funayama offers an antidote, welcoming those who wear Fetico into her own Cabaret club. Life out there can be disappointing. Forget it! Here, life is beautiful.
