The Japanese designer Junya Watanabe's mentor Rei Kawakubo gave him the opportunity to create his own label within her fashion house, Commes des Garcons, in 1992. He had already been working for the fashion house for a considerable time but it gave him the chance, with the support of one of the most innovative designers, to develop his own signature without having to worry about the commercial aspect. Watanabe is renowned not only for his technical expertise but also for his conceptual and innovative vision. His autumn collection in 1998/1999 demonstrates his reworking of garments by experimenting with shape and materials and his search for the essence of the garment. One expects a garment to be shaped by seams. Watanabe did away with this standard principle. He used no seams for this collection and uses large pieces of felt with splits cut into them, generating a three dimensional shape with the use of metal spirals under the fabric.