Typically,
Japan follows India in the Fashion Week cycle. This year, however, Japan Fashion Week was
cancelled. Of course, the event’s absence was hardly the most devastating result of the recent disaster. Nonetheless, several designers prepped but didn’t have the opportunity to present in Tokyo, and they deserve acknowledgment.
Somarta: Adhering to the belief that women’s clothes should enhance the female form,
Tamae Hirokawa designs decidedly body-conscious clothing for her brand,
Somarta. Informed by Hirokawa’s interest in the natural sciences, Somarta found fame via its
“second skin” collection that treats fabric like human skin. This year’s Spring/Summer collection sees Hirokawa borrowing inspiration from
Mark Dion’s Microcosmographia exhibit. She emphasizes textured fabrics, hoping to extract curiosity with garments that appear confusing to the eye. Knowing that contemporary fashion lines need to go the extra mile to stand out, she often incorporates CGI imagery into her runway shows. Had she shown this season, her show likely would’ve made headlines not just in the fashion world, but in the technology sphere as well.
beautiful people: Growing up,
Hidenori Kumakiri never anticipated getting involved with the fashion business, but working as a pattern maker for
Comme des Garçons Homme put him on the fast track to sartorial success. Now at the helm of
beautiful people, he consistently wows his followers with the unexpected. For example, he puts out a kid’s line of itty-bitty versions of the adult clothes from each season, and made last year’s Fall/Winter collection with
3D printed fabric. This year, Kumakiri had planned to take a more inclusive approach to JFW, with a public installation instead of a private runway show. Models were to hold poses around Toyko Midtown, and attendees were to be given maps demarcating their locations. Now that’s democratized fashion
fur fur: Since its inception,
fur fur has garnered a following for its handmade style and action painting techniques, embodying
mori girl and vintage traditional Japanese aesthetics. Last year’s
Spring/Summer Tokyo Midtown show gained acclaim for its animated vibe, inspired by Charles M. Schultz’
Happiness is a Warm Puppy. Models were made up like 60’s cartoon characters...even Snoopy himself appeared on the runway. For fur fur creative director
Koichi Chida, fashion shows are about connecting to the audience through the street style that’s so inherent to Japanese culture. The
2011-12 AW collection differs from the line’s past work and, based on the odd props featured in the look book (hard hats, plush sharks), it certainly would’ve made for a memorable show.
