Viviano Sue makes clothes that are unapologetically fun and flowy, and his shows always draw a candy store of brightly dressed aficionados (many of them influencers), making watching the audience almost as visually stimulating as the collections he showcases.
After this speech, which marked the last physical catwalk of this season’s Tokyo calendar, he shared some background on where his particular form of frivolity comes from: “I’m a Chinese kid who grew up in America and my dad was pretty traditional. As a child I was always told what to do and what not to do, but… I just don’t feel that way now! We should be freer and we should wear whatever we want. If you feel confident and comfortable, you have to show it to people.”
His collection is this time inspired by the French musical from 1967 The young girls of Rochefort, and thus had a hippie-esque color palette reminiscent of Catherine Deneuve’s canary yellow dress, complemented by pastel pink and sea blue hues, while nautical references to Jacques Perrin’s sailor suit came through in the dixie cups and flap collars. Flamingo floral prints covered peplum dresses and baseball caps, and the brand’s go-to tulle emerged from bold bomber jackets, denim blazers and sheer ruffle coats.
Occasionally you feel that Viviano’s sugary taste could use a little more spice; the dessert is the nicest part, but you don’t want that with every course. On the other hand, Sue’s message is so relentlessly positive, and he is so generous with his joy, that resistance is futile. “After Covid, I felt like the world got really dark, and I think now we just have to enjoy the moment because we don’t know what’s going to happen next,” he said. “We make these clothes to make people happy, to spread that joy.” As the models skipped hand in hand down the catwalk for the finale, grinning in their bright and sparkling dresses, the spirits were lifted. Even after a long week of shows, it was impossible not to laugh.
