Junya Watanabe took an unexpected creative leap during his Autumn/Winter 2003 collection, as he delved deep into alpine outerwear. Utilizing a reference, this stodgy was undoubtedly a task for Junya. However, he was able to juxtapose these folky tonal and ornamental aesthetics with his underlying edgy eastern sensibilities. This collection became home for several emblematic pieces, such as the barbed wire cargos, the deconstructed patchwork sweaters, and a Lewis Leathers collaboration. This season is also when we see Junya’s “pink label” for the first time.

Written by Justin Donnelly