Set in an industrial garage lined with Filson posters, Junya Watanabe’s menswear show opened with a nod to tradition: hunting jackets, blue-striped shirts, and a beige wide-brimmed fedora that was rugged yet formal. This restraint didn’t last long. Watanabe’s signature subversive tailoring emerged, dismantling American staples with patchwork and jolts of unexpected colour.

As the collection unravelled, the patchwork and tailoring worked in tandem to break apart and reconstruct familiar archetypes. Jackets were patched with black and chocolate leather pockets, while Watanabe stripped checkered plaid of its roots. Debuting his collaboration with Filson, the storied Seattle outfitter, Watanabe reimagined the brand’s iconic Cruiser jacket in various materials: calf leather, plush moleskin, wool checks, and tactile tin cloth. Some designs leant into workwear’s hardy practicality, while others, like a bold iteration in emergency orange twill, ventured into conceptual territory. 

Later on, the initial cropped jackets gave way to longer, assertive silhouettes, falling just above the knee. One piece combined tan canvas with earthy tweed in a patchwork construction, finished with a Filson patch crafted from burgundy leather. Hints of military influence appeared in structured overcoats with double-breasted fastenings and high collars, introducing a sense of discipline to the otherwise deconstructed looks. Filson caps, styled with Watanabe’s reworked Levi’s, emphasised the collection’s connection to heritage workwear. Meanwhile, denim jeans were cuffed to reveal subtle red stripes, while padded coats were layered over turtlenecks, adding a touch of softness. 

Other accessories included beanies and a red-and-black plaid trapper hat with cream shearling ear flaps. Boat shoes and sneakers also appeared, while the occasional sock striped in green, white, and red added whimsy. The final two looks distilled the collection’s focus on texture and proportion. A knee-length coat in matte black leather and shearling paired sharp tailoring with tactile trims, grounded by tapered trousers and hiking boots. The other—a cropped black jacket styled with wide-leg trousers and glossy leather shoes. 

By pulling from Filson’s heritage and twisting it through his lens, Watanabe created pieces that felt wearable but were far from predictable. While the collection relied on familiar themes—denim, patchwork, and Americana—it succeeded in refreshing them with tailoring and clever material play. This season felt more polished than provocative; a confident evolution rather than a reinvention.