At the center of Hanako Maeda’s Adeam sits the relationship between Eastern and Western cultures — Maeda is a native of Japan but has spent a significant amount of time in New York City. “A cultural discourse between different cultures,” she called it.
The multilayered nuances of cultural exchange lead her to a distinct place: baked goods, specifically French and Japanese pastries. “It developed into its own thing over the past two centuries after French pastries arrived in Japan,” she explained, adding that Japanese confections aren’t just sweet; in fact, they counteract the sugar with an element of bitterness. The spot where these two elements meet is where Maeda began.
The color palette began with a monochromatic range of dusty rose and cream. Her first few looks included a structured jacket paired with a tulle skirt, a cropped sweater over a sheer tulle skirt, a shrunken blazer with a high waisted pant — sweet yes, but not overly saccharine. She contrasted those with a section of black and gray looks, doubling up sweaters that exposed skin paired with a high-waisted black A-line skirt — romantic with a bit of polished edge, like a mille feuille with matcha cream.
Fabric combinations further played on the theme. A top with a knit torso boasted tulle sleeves, a dress with a sweatshirt ponte body featured a delicate tulle skirt and translucence was explored by layering tulle over sheer dotted chiffon. She styled in arm warmers, platform shoes and tulle scarves, little touches that bridged the line between sweet and bitter.
“Just like how the bitterness of burnt caramel adds complexity to the Japanese custard pudding,” her show notes read, “the unsentimental color palette, anchored with black and gray, grounds the collection with a sophisticated edge, balancing the fanciful sweetness with a hint of mystery and depth.”