Last March, Paris Fashion Week introduced us to the subtle fashion of Beautiful People and its elegant fusion of French and Japanese influences. In his initial collection hearkening back to Madeleine Vionnet’s bias cut dresses on one hand and a tomboy punk style on the other, designer Hidenori Kumakiri exhibited his flare for combining two seemingly opposed influences. Though they may appear simple at first glance, his pieces stand out for their inventive cuts and perfect fit. With the Kids line, Kumakiri plays with proportion and challenges the system of women’s adult sizes by utilizing patterns from kids wear. As he explains: “The Kids collection ranges in size from 120 to 190 centimeters and the models are not differentiated by sex. The surprising but harmonious proportion work also appears in my main collection.” His leather Perfecto jacket, available for mom and daughter alike, became a big hit in Japan. After studying at the prestigious Bunka Fashion College, the Japanese designer spent six years learning the business at Comme des Garçons before launching his own label. “I loved the wildly creative side of Rei Kawakubo, as well as the fashion house’s timeless classics. Working at Comme des Garçons taught me the value of beautiful basics,” tells Hidenori Kumakiri. For Summer 2019, Beautiful People is adopting the philosophy of wabi-sabi, a Japanese concept inspired by Zen Buddhism. Pieces are naturally distressed, washed in salt, crinkled, and dyed in white or red wine to emphasize the organic aspect of fabrics, which flow elegantly along the body. Avoiding ostentatious fashion, Beautiful People prefers to reveal our inner beauty with modesty and grace.