By Lily Templeton

Referencing the Zoot Suit as the pivotal idea of the season, Juun.J could have gone the easy route back to “shoulders padded like a lunatic’s cell” to quote Malcolm X. But while this idea felt like a natural fit, considering previous incarnations of the Korean designer's vision, he did not take any shortcuts.

While he reprised his emphasis on the upper body throughout, the designer also went with some more practical proportions and moved away from the show-oriented aspect of his silhouette. One notable departure from his signatures is the absence of his neoprene sweater, replaced by handsome form-fitting knit sweaters or boxier wool tops. And it was in spirit that his Zoot was closest to its inspiration, as tailoring highlighted the self-confidence of a dresser knowing the codes, and how to bend them for maximum appeal.

The result was a more elegant collection, displaying the growing maturity of the Korean designer. He made a case for his very able hand in mixing materials, splicing together leather and wool on a fitted overcoat, matching the wool sweater and leather trousers beneath. Further on, the meniscus between fabrics bisected a crisp shirt, while even later it was leather sleeves on an overcoat that provided the visual contrast. Whatever the medium, the designer is showing aptitude at tailoring just right.

The narrow room of the Palais de Tokyo soon filled with the heady scent of perfume, furthering the metaphor around giving off presence instead of physically occupying the space. Juun.J's revised cuts paired with a softer, drooping shoulder line was shy of being truly casual, but in recapturing a form of nonchalance, came full circle to the libertarian spirit that animated the original Zoot suits.