Japanese designer Arashi Yanagawa has had a somewhat unusual path to the profession: launching his brand in 2003 following a career as a professional boxer and naming it after the former 19th-Century Irish-American heavyweight champion, dubbed the “Boston Strong Boy” by the press of the day.

For FW20, models didn’t walk but rather stomped down the runway with a pounding soundtrack composed exclusively for the show by industrial musician Golpe Mortal. Known for his exploration of music and underground subcultures, Yanagawa looked to the works of German filmmaker Wim Wenders and dancer/choreographer Pina Bausch as inspiration, with particular reference to the sounds and movements of their 2011 collaborative documentary film, Pina, to construct a collection around “self-restraint, fluidity and fragility”.

Garments included coats and jackets in British military fabrics alongside Italian suiting with oversized double-breasted blazers, built with strong, 80s power shoulders shaped by “wing of desire” silhouettes, read the press release in reference to Wenders’ iconic movie. This idea of contrasts was also explored via textures, with matt and high gloss fabrics and metallic leathers alongside ornate, floral patterns. Pearl adornments were an ongoing motif featured as buttons or accents on trouser legs and waists, while jacquard scarves featured quotes from Wim Wenders’ oeuvre such as “Last waltz”, “Dance with me” and “Floating emotions”.