Hublot and Yohji Yamamoto Explore the Potential of "Black"

HUBLOT | CLASSIC FUSION YOHJI YAMAMOTO ALL BLACK CAMO

The fourth collaboration model between HUBLOT and YOHJI YAMAMOTO, the "Classic Fusion Yohji Yamamoto All Black Camo," has been unveiled. Since their first collaboration in 2020, both brands have continued to explore the potential of "black," elevating it beyond a mere color to a form of three-dimensional artistic expression.

Text by Kosaku Waseda

Deconstruction: Revealing the Essence

This collaboration is driven by a clear vision: "How can we strip down to the essential elements?" This vision, extending beyond a mere fusion of watchmaking and fashion, strongly connects the two entities.

In 1980, HUBLOT challenged the traditions of Swiss watchmaking with the "Art of Fusion" philosophy, combining disparate materials like gold and rubber. Meanwhile, since his debut at Paris Fashion Week in 1981, YOHJI YAMAMOTO has redefined fashion norms with his black aesthetic, eschewing excessive ornamentation.

Through their shared approach of deconstruction, both brands question the established meaning of luxury in their respective fields, forging unique legacies.

For both, black is not simply a color, but a means of expressing essence itself. HUBLOT pioneered the all-black concept in 2006, demonstrating how volume and texture, rather than color, could define light. Yohji Yamamoto's black silhouettes, presented in Paris in 1981, were hailed as revolutionary, marking the beginning of an innovation liberated from adornment.

At HUBLOT, black is sculpted through materials that play with shadow, such as matte ceramic and smoked sapphire crystal. For YOHJI YAMAMOTO, it is expressed through fabrics where wool, silk, and cotton layers create shifting textures. Both perceive black as both visible and invisible.

This collaboration model features a 42mm matte black ceramic case. It manipulates the presence of black by absorbing light and accentuating shadow. The dial, adorned with a black-on-black camouflage pattern, imbues the monochrome with rhythm and dynamism.

The smoked sapphire crystal case back reveals the HUBLOT automatic caliber MHUB1110 and a skeletonized rotor, further enhancing the monochrome's mystique. The strap, a combination of fabric and rubber, is a testament to the fusion of Yohji Yamamoto's tactile couture techniques and HUBLOT's precise watchmaking expertise.

Limited to 300 pieces, it comes with a dedicated all-black box engraved with Yohji Yamamoto's signature logo.

This creation embodies a world visible only to those who have engaged deeply with black. This collaboration may represent the pinnacle of "black," a realm accessible only to those who truly understand it.