Y-3 returns with the first chapter of its Spring/Summer 2022 collection. As part of the celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of this inimitable brand, Chapter 1 represents the first part of a year-long thematic exploration of Y-3’s past, present, and future—boldly titled “20 Years: Re-Coded.”
Y-3 looks back on key moments, designs, materials, and silhouettes from the brand’s history and reimagines its own identity for the future. The latest collection from adidas and Yohji Yamamoto—which has never been one for passive sentimentality— draws from Y-3’s collective memory with pieces that distort and subvert past icons from the archive to revolutionize the world of sports and fashion once again.
In Chapter 1, which draws on the concept of transformative nostalgia, Y-3 revisits its own history of relaxed tailoring and adaptable design by provocatively distorting the iconic visual codes of adidas and Yohji Yamamoto.
Chapter 1 channels the brand’s signature approach to layering, enveloping the wearer in effortless elegance with versatile garments that luxuriously hug the body.
To bring the brand’s history to life, a commemorative label marking the 20th anniversary of adidas and Yohji Yamamoto appears throughout the collection and as a printed graphic on select pieces.
At the same time, adidas’ iconic three-stripe pattern is subversively reinterpreted as an aesthetic motif for this chapter. In addition, the collection also features a range of accessories such as caps, beanies, adjustable bags, socks, belts, and scarves.
The footwear lineup is highlighted by the introduction of the brand-new Y-3 MAKURA silhouette, as well as fundamental updates to several Y-3 classics.
The Y-3 MAKURA experiments with a new approach to comfort while simultaneously subverting proportions, sensations, and inspirations, representing an innovative reinterpretation of running-inspired footwear.
A bold twist on Y-3’s signature codes, the exaggerated silhouette features a cushioned EVA midsole encased in foam padding that creates a cloud-like visual aesthetic, as well as a rubber outsole featuring a track-and-field-inspired spiked look.
The launch of the first chapter of the Y-3 Spring/Summer 2022 collection is accompanied by an explosive, dynamic campaign photographed by Gabriel Moses and styled by Robbie Spencer, under the creative direction of Jamie Reid.
A unique, powerful choreography by Blackhaine innovatively brings the campaign to life, as a group of dancers artistically reinterprets and reinvents the concept of athletic movement.
As a subversive ode to the DNA of Y-3 with a focus on individual moments, the series of expressive visuals explores the artistic middle ground between dance and sports.
In addition to the Chapter 1 campaign, Y-3 has also enlisted soccer legend and brand friend Zinedine Zidane for a series of celebratory visuals. Zidane, who has appeared in campaigns and on runways throughout Y-3’s 20-year history, embodies key moments from the brand’s past that have been recoded for the future.
The additional campaign, photographed by Gabriel Moses, highlights Yohji Yamamoto’s signature composure, precision, and control through the lens of the iconic star.
Pieces from the Y-3 Spring/Summer 2022 Chapter 1 collection will be available starting February 3, 2022, at select retailers such as Allike, Asphaltgold, SUPPA, and VooStore.
photos via adidas
