To Liu, in a year like 2023, there is something inherently subversive about out-and-out beauty. “As we enter a period of fiscal conservatism in the face of recession, as we approach elections globally that challenge human and civil rights, and with war in Europe and natural catastrophes all over,” he says, “fashion has a distinct opportunity, maybe even responsibility, to act as a vehicle for liberation and beauty and art and fantasy—all while reflecting the world we live in.”
So, forget—for a moment, at least—quiet luxury, and submit to a full-throttle love affair with fall fashion at its most delightfully, and defiantly, exuberant. Locations from Shibuya up to Taitō set the scene.