Nana's got blue hair: An Ode To Yamamoto

What is an Ode ? I first heard that singular word when I was a little girl. At that young age, I could not fully grasp the meaning of this word and its power. However, a week ago, in London, I recognized the essence of this word at an exhibition for the designer, Yohji Yamamoto.

Situated in the creative neighbourhood of Hackney, between a store named "The Church of God" and a cozy cafe, Live Archives has its unique soul. This gallery is a cultural philanthropic project which has the aim of reviving the collections of famous contemporary designers and unknown talented as well. During one week that unfortunately ends tomorrow, the spellbinder Yohji Yamamoto, has the place of honour. Live Archives went back in 1983, the early beginning of Yohji Yamomoto's career, to 2005. To contextualize, since the first show he gave in Paris in 1981, the designer has always been considered as a unique creative, giving a new momentum to fashion and rewriting the traditions.

The essential point of this exhibition is that you can try Yamamoto's work in order to fully absorb what he meant by creating those pieces. You might want to try everything on but it is fine because that is purpose: "viewers are engaged as wearers and consumers, realizing Yamamoto's vision of a living, sensory, and emotional association with garments". Those words are Jeffrey Horsley's, the exhibition-maker who will guide you, and might tempt you to try things that you would not. I have to say that I was at first, a bit afraid of wearing those creations: indeed, the fascination that I had for them was overwhelming. Nonetheless, the white and grey coat that you can see below, was the only thing that I tried on, and my favourite piece as well. It was in the image of the uniqueness' designer for its reversible side, and oversized looks. By presenting those rare pieces of work, Live Archives is giving you the chance to understand the impenetrable, Yohji Yamamoto's world.

Ode: 1. A lyrics poem typically of elaborate or irregular metrical form and expressive of exalted or enthusiastic emotion.
2. A poem glorifying or praising somebody.