Junya Watanabe Writes a Love Letter to American Heritage Wear in FW25 Collection

Junya Watanabe delivered an Americana masterclass during his Fall Winter 25 showcase at Paris Fashion Week, unveiling a collection almost entirely focused around a collaboration with Filson - the Seattle-based countrywear brand that have outfitted frontiersmen for over 125 years.

Junya Watanabe’s appreciation for American heritage wear is well documented, coming to life over the years thanks to striking collaborations with the likes of Carhartt and Levi’s that typically centre around reimagining the rugged materials associated with the respective brands in the context of modern, city life.

The designer‘s latest effort was no different, setting the stage for timeless outerwear examples courtesy of Filson that speak to the longevity of solid design. Filson’s iconic Mackinaw cruiser was the centrepiece of Junya Watanabe FW25, appearing in varying swatches of suede, denim and classic blue or red buffalo check, alongside faithful wool plaids and mixed-media examples.

For the most part, Junya left the multi-pocketed, classic-collared cut of Filson’s Mackinaw untouched, only playing around with the material choices or a divergence in the pocket realm.

As the event progressed, onlookers were subjected to Watanabe’s masterful editing of sartorial men’s styles, updated with everything from padded constructions to contrasting panels, bolstered by the fact almost every model was sporting a shirt and tie throughout the show.

Another legendary USA stalwart featured heavily in the collection, with Watanabe choosing his favourite denim-maker Levi’s to supply both raw and faded straight-cut styles, further cementing the collection as a love letter to Americana.

Ticking off the final box in the “head to toe USA” checklist, a collaboration with New Balance also surfaced, where Watanabe showed off simplistic suede and mesh takes on the brand’s 471 retro runner.

The Junya Watanabe FW25 collection will release later this year.