London Fashion Week - JU-NNA

Written by Grace Wilson

Photography: Launch Metrics

At the heart of JU-NNA's latest collection lies a profound exploration of urban life, inspired by the arresting imagery of Japanese street photography. Documenting the raw emotions of weary workers strewn across Tokyo's streets, the brand delves deep into the dichotomy of exhaustion and professionalism in the corporate world. Each garment serves as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, despite the shocking nature of physical exhaustion which can be so glaringly obvious to onlookers yet less to self. JU-NNA’s designs therefore and cleverly blend elements of weariness with a palpable sense of purpose.

The runway unfolds with a purposely curated colour palette drawn from the stark landscapes of metropolitan cities. Shades of charcoal grey, midnight navy, inky black, and whites and creams converge to form a harmonious symphony of sleek, corporate and urban elegance, seamlessly blending individuals into the monotonous – yet uniform - greys of the cityscape. There appears to be a glamour and neatness within the dullness, perhaps reflective of the nature of the corporate world and its effect on human kind across metropolitan cities in the modern world today.

JU-NNA's signature aesthetic marries the structured lines of masculine workwear with the delicate femininity of draped fabrics and fluid silhouettes. This is a clever reflection again of the femininity of the raw and vulnerable emotion the workers in Tokyo face contrasted with the masculinity of persistence against all odds within the workforce. Blazers, rendered in sumptuous wool with padded shoulders, pay homage to the unkempt suits of weary muses, while subverting traditional power dynamics through artful draping and asymmetric hemlines.

The collection's strength lies in its exquisite attention to detail. From Shibori-dyed silk jersey to meticulously tailored wool coats, each garment is a testament to the brand's attention to quality and craftsmanship. Stainless steel tie pins, typically associated with corporate masculinity, are reimagined as feminine embellishments, adding a touch of understated glamour to each ensemble, and once again cleverly reflecting the masculine and feminine contrasts of authentic human emotion with headstrong willpower.

In a world inundated with conformity and uniform, often exempt from human authenticity, JU-NNA stands as a representation of fashion’s transcending nature beyond uniform conformity, and spotlights the complex tapestry of urban life and its effects of exhaustion by binding once traditionally uniform garments with raw emotion, all whilst celebrating the intricate tapestry of human experience.