Jamiroquai’s Virtual Insanity remade for Junya Watanabe’s latest menswear collection

In the words of Jamiroquai, it is indeed a crazy world we’re living in. Tokyo-based designer and Comme des Garçons protégé Junya Watanabe has launched his FW22 Menswear collection with a runway presentation inspired by Jamiroquai’s Virtual Insanity. The short film, directed by Masashi Muto, shows dancers dressed and choreographed in the style of Jay Kay, aka Jamiroquai, who was brought on board as a collaborator for the collection.

While the floors don’t move in quite the same travelator way as in the 1996 original – which director Jonathan Glazer actually achieved by moving walls against a stationary grey floor – the film uses lens zooms to hint at the same effect. The signature hats of Jay Kay also feature, created by self-proclaimed “silly crown designer” Benny Andallo, against “reimagined and original garments from Jay Kay”. The signature choreography of Jamiroquai has been implemented by choreographer Takeatsu Nashimoto, with a series of dancers interacting with the white-tiled space.

The collection film was released on Junya Watanabe’s Instagram, with a caption explaining: “The Fall-Winter collection was created in collaboration with Jay Kay of Jamiroquai. Since 1992, Jay Kay’s music and style has drawn inspiration from various indigenous cultures of the world.” While Jay Kay’s “appreciation” could definitely be considered appropriative, the post adds: “Junya invited participation from The Secretariat of Culture of Mexico and Pendleton Woollen Mills to help realise the collection.”

Fashion continues to work with past iconic media and other disciplines, such as digital art in gaming, to entice audiences in new ways. Another collaborative fashion short premiered last year, when Balenciaga collaborated with The Simpsons to send Springfield residents down the runway.