Junya Watanabe (born 1961) is one of Japan's leading fashion designers. He graduated from Japan's leading fashion school, Bunka Fashion college in Tokyo in 1984. He immediately joined Comme des Garcons and became head of Comme des Garcons tricot in 1987. In 1992 he launched his own Junya Watanabe label within the Comme des Garcon's label.

Thanks to his talent and the backing of the Comme des Garcon's infrastructure, Watanabe's own label was widely acclaimed from the beginning. His clothes tend to be experimental and uncompromising, and without any recognisable style as each show comes as a surprise. In 1995 he experimented with 1940s and 1950s tweed suits, the difference lay in his use of ultramodern polyesters which were made up in offbeat constructions. In 1996 he used techno-materials in bright candy colours, inspired by the vibrant cellophane of theatre lighting. The collection was widely copied. For the next collection, he changed tack again designing a collection in black leather with zippers in improbable positions. Other collections have featured lengths of spiral cut felt (spring/winter 1998/1999), another featured a jacket that folds into a handbag (1999/2000) and a particularly note worthy collection in winter 2000/2001 featured opulent ball dresses in brightly coloured voile sewn in multiple layers that fanned out around the body like a Chinese lantern. Watanabe says

"I never design for a specific type of woman, and my work is never theme based. I simply spend 360 days a year designing a range of second lines for Comme des Garcons, where I sometimes come across materials or a construction that sticks in my mind. I take these and explore them and seek to develop them in my own collection.' 1

The dress is from his spring/summer 2003 collection shown in Paris in October 2002. Reporting on this collection, fashion journalist Sarah Mower wrote:

"Junya Watanabe's show conjured a vision of innocent 18th century milkmaids who had parachuted into a field of summer flowers. The girls seemed to have floated down from the sky under huge, airy umbrella hats, wearing drifty, white, flower-dotted prints suspended on webbing tape. Yes, webbing: in an original twist on this season's ubiquitous combat trend, Watanabe made it look dreamily pretty...made into cropped pants ruched into shorts and dresses hitched up at the hems. He also, thoughtfully, equipped his bucolic regiment with matching backpacks, some fused into the girls' garments" 2

Other examples of Junya Watanabe is the collection include 2003/104/1 a women's distressed denim outfit and 2003/175 a women's patchwork skirt with cotton t shirt.

1. Made in Japan, published by Central Museum, Utrecht, 2001.
2. www.style.com spring 2003 ready to wear Junya Watanabe

Dress, womens, cotton, designed by Junya Watanabe for 'Comme des Garcons' Spring/ Summer 2003 collection, Japan, 2003.

White cotton day dress with a scooped neckline, sleeveless and backless with straps that cross at the back and attach to sides of bodice. Two straps fasten across the chest with plastic buckles. A - line skirt of calf length has an over locked hem and features a matching backpack incorporated into the skirt at lower back recalling bustle fashions from the 1880s. The fabric is decorated with butterflies embroidered with white cotton. Dress is not lined and has a centre front opening fastening with a white zipper which extends from the neckline to the hem.

This garment was designed by Junya Watanabe for "Comme des Garcons" in Japan during 2002

The garment has not been worn. It was purchased direct from the Comme des Garcons company in Tokyo.

Purchased 2003

Cream fabric label at inside centre back, printed in black 'JUNYA WATANABE / COMME des Garcons'
Cream fabric label at inside centre back, printed in black 'M'
White fabric label at wearers inside left seam at waist 'COMME des GARCONS CO. Ltd / JI-0011 / MADE IN JAPAN / 100% COTTON / TAPE 100% COTTON / DO NOT BLEACH. DO NOT TUMBLE / DRY. COVER WITH CLOTH, USE COOL / IRON. DRY CLEAN ONLY' Instructions are also in Japanese and French.
Reverse side of label, in black print, 'THE BAG ATTACHED TO THE GARMENT IS A / DECORATIVE DESIGN AND IS NOT MEANT FOR / FUNCTIONAL USE. aVOID CARRYING ITEMS IN / THE BAG. / THE CREASES WILL FLATTEN WITH REPEATED / WEAR AND CLEANING. / COLOUR WILL RUN WITH FRICTION. HANDLE / WITH CARE. / DRY CLEAN IN A NET BAG. DO NOT TUMBLE DRY. / IRON LIGHTLY THROUGH A PRESSING CLOTH. / DO NOT STEAM.' Instructions are also in French and Japanese.

2004/17/1