LFW SS25: YAKU

Image: Kadessi Alassani (@bykadessi)

"The ImPossible Family Reunion in RPG Space" presentation from YAKU defied expectations, offering an immersive experience that blended Afrofuturism with an intimate, family-centred narrative. Far from a traditional runway show, it unfolded as a layered exploration of identity and history, meticulously crafted from both personal and cultural stories. It was an invitation into a world where past and future collided, where the designer reimagined their family members as heroic figures navigating cosmic realms.

The presentation’s strength lay in its ability to interweave fashion with a deeper, more personal tale. The garments themselves, primarily made from repurposed deadstock fabrics, carried an intentional fluidity, with each piece telling its own story of survival and transformation. Themes of time travel, reconciliation, and family bonds were present in every detail—from the hand-dyed textiles that made up the environment to the actors embodying the designer’s real-life relatives.

Image: Kadessi Alassani (@bykadessi)

There was a cinematic quality to the experience, each set and character revealing a different chapter of the family’s journey. The silhouettes were functional yet evocative, with fluidity that blurred the line between costume and everyday wear. Paired with carefully curated soundscapes and intricate sets, "The ImPossible Family Reunion" delivered a multi-sensory narrative, making it one of the standout moments of the week.

This season’s collection took a deep dive into the collision of hope and pain, threading personal history through the fantastical lens of Afrofuturism. Family members, reimagined as characters in limitless realms, stood at the intersection of vivid fantasy and the stark realities of lived experience. The designer tapped into the escapism of RPGs to navigate these difficult histories, channelling the need for hope into an imaginative, otherworldly narrative.

Image: Kadessi Alassani (@bykadessi)

The clothing itself was as fluid as the storyline driving the presentation. Each piece, constructed from deadstock fabrics meticulously dyed and manipulated in-house, embraced an organic feel, marrying vibrant Afrofuturist visions with the raw, textural grit of personal reflection. The standout addition of womenswear this season elevated the collection even further. Silhouettes, while grounded in the brand’s earlier menswear DNA, expanded into freer, more expressive forms, emphasising movement and structure in harmony.

Visually, the set design was nothing short of groundbreaking. Rather than serving as a passive backdrop, each environment told a story of its own—whether it was the intellectual rigour of The Library, the meditative solitude of Space, or the kinetic energy of Combat. Every set was built from textiles dyed, distressed, and sewn by hand, offering a sustainable twist: these same materials will later be transformed into garments. The entire space became part of the collection’s evolving narrative, a testament to the designer’s holistic vision.

Image: Jordan Core (@jordancore4)

Actors, embodying the designer’s own family, interacted with their surroundings in a way that felt profoundly intimate. Their movements—unpolished, makeup-free—stripped away the artifice of high fashion, allowing the audience to connect deeply with the emotional stakes at play. Collaborating with theatre directors added yet another layer, imbuing each scene with a tangible sense of purpose and joy.

Accessories and footwear also played crucial roles, tailored to specific characters and sets, from fish-like motifs in The Forest to otherworldly creature hides in The Learning. Even the sound design—crafted for each unique environment—enhanced the emotional resonance of the show, blurring the line between fashion presentation and performance art.

Image: Jordan Core (@jordancore4)

What made this collection so powerful was its ability to balance fantasy and realism, blending escapist beauty with the emotional weight of generational trauma. Each element, from garment to set design, was imbued with personal narrative, creating a collection that felt at once intimate and universally resonant. This season wasn’t just an evolution in terms of design—it marked a deeper, more introspective phase for the brand.

It was a collection that challenged conventional fashion formats, pushing boundaries both in terms of design and storytelling. Ultimately, it stood as a powerful exploration of how we confront our histories while imagining new futures.