Yohji Yamamoto at the Victoria and Albert Museum – Exhibition review

Yohji Yamamoto’s career as the internationally renowned fashion designer that he is today took shape during the eighties. From then on his creative input in both fashion design and culture has been prolific and well appreciated. The exhibition at the Victoria and Albert museum documents his rapid rise and encapsulates the central aspects of his work.

Matching the path of his designs, the Yohji Yamamoto exhibition is modest and wide reaching. It contains a number of video archives of his most recognised shows, flip books of stills of his work and a timeline of his career.

However, the best part of the exhibition is getting to see Yohji Yamamoto’s clothing up close. The attention to detail is impressive on all of the catwalk designs on display at the exhibition, but the beige and paisley padded hooded bolero jacket with fake fur trim and long padded skirt is one the most iconic.

Showing Yohji Yamamoto’s love of fabric, breakaway avant-garde style, intricate detailing and simple cuts, the exhibition is an excellent tribute to the fashion designer. His oversized embellishments are a lot of fun to see too, including a houndstooth check jacket with puffed sleeves, an enveloping black ruffled cape and an oversized scarf wrap over a long integrated blue and black tartan shirt, which has shades of Vivienne Westwood.

Review: 3.7/5

The Yohji Yamamoto exhibition is £8 for standard exhibition with a £1 donation to the Victoria and Albert Museum and is set to run through until 10th July 2010.

Photography: Nick Knight Art Direction Peter Saville