Tokyo Fashion Week Fall 2015: Part 2
Tokyo's fashion week continues, with days three and four bringing us chic, modern minimalism, urban cowboys, desert hipsters, and some very opulent textiles. There was even a collection of "fashion for eveyone," designed to be worn by all people, including those with disabilities. Read on for more!
Tenbo
This whimsical brand prides itself on its heartwarming style and clothing that is made for “all people.” Designer Takafumi Tsuruta took this to heart by introducing four persons with disabilities as models on his runway. The show exuded happiness, and the models were all styled with bright yellow accents ranging from huge yellow afro wigs to loafers to glittery makeup. A blind Paralympic gold medalist modeled the opening look: a white layered tulle dress with an oversized dot pattern inspired by braille. A few relaxed pieces followed, including an oversized, furry smock dress, similar overalls, and some front-to-back reversible sweatshirt tunics paired with braille themed tights. Next were a variety of looks in a print featuring the brand’s skull icon in yellow, black and white. Many of the oversized pieces featured magnetic closures to help people with disabilities find ease in dressing.
Not all pieces were big and fun; there were also some tailored dress shirts and suits. A more structured harem balloon pant was paired with a crisp white shirt printed with origami cranes. Some plaid pieces introduced new colors and fabrics to the collection, with identical men’s and women’s suits in tartan. The final look was a white satin men’s tuxedo and a simple satin wedding dress designed specifically for a wheelchair-bound bride. –Amanda Andrews
Ato
Designer Ato Matsumoto launched his super modern and stylish namesake brand in 1993, simultaneously opening his first flagship store in Minami Aoyama. After participating in the CVCD in Paris, Matsumoto began selling his brand overseas and has since continued to flourish worldwide. Celebrities such as Kanye West have been photographed wearing Ato boots, which has created a major Ato following among sneaker aficionados.
The Ato fall collection was composed of a series of well-styled ensembles that screamed “effortlessly cool.” The theme of the show was “Urban Riders,” paying homage to bikers, skateboarders, and even cowboys of the Wild West. Moto jackets, well tailored pea coats, leather pants and modern takes on the hooded sweatshirt were all turned out in various shades of black, gray and brown. The muted palette was punched up a notch by layering together various rich textures, including suede, leather, tweeds and denim. Zippers were also a prominent focus, adding an edge to otherwise classic pieces. –Chanyn Kirtman
Yoshio Kubo
Designer of one of the top Tokyo menswear brands, Yoshio Kubo, started his brand in 2005 after apprenticing for haute couture designer Robert Danes in New York. Kubo’s creative philosophy is to design with the intention to make people think about the meaning and details of the clothing they are wearing.
This season Yoshio Kubo didn’t disappoint his brand loyal fans as he presented yet another hip collection of unordinary design combinations. The juxtaposition of camel motif prints and American eagle embroidery on sweatshirts and bomber jackets was somehow unified by the use of camouflage and desert setting prints on blazers and cropped trousers. Structural athletic apparel was seen throughout the show in a variety of textile such as fringed tweed, faux fur, and a glossy material with paisley prints. –Chanyn Kirtman
DressedUndressed
DressedUndressed designers Takeshi Kitazawa and Emiko Sato launched their first collection in 2009. Throughout the following years they gained international recognition and won many awards such as the DHL design award by Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Tokyo.
This season’s collection was made up of contemporary tailored pieces that were intended to be worn by both sexes (as is always the case with DressedUndreseed’s offerings). Monochromatic styling of navy blue, black and soft nudes dominated the runway, with clean-lined outerwear such as double-breasted trench coats and structured blazers being layered over suits and separates. The designs were basic, but realized with impeccable construction and high quality materials. A deep v-neck pant suit, wide-legged drawstring trousers, and a series of splatter paint pieces were particularly noteworthy. –Chanyn Kirtman
Dresscamp
Bunka Fashion College graduate Toshikasu Iwaya established Dresscamp in 2002. He has also held other prominent positions, such as the creative director of Onitsuka Tiger, costume designer for the musical The Wiz, and uniform designer for the 2011 World Championship in Athletics Japan team. Iwaya uses couture-classic techniques, mixes prints brilliantly, and is known for his creative decorativeness.
The Dresscamp runway show definitely upped the ante on theatrics. A marriage of romance and gothic looks were the first to appear down the runway. Black dresses worn over neon fishnet stockings were styled with wide brimmed hats with feather and flower adornments. Large, gold embroidered Dresscamp crests were seen on an abundance of men’s athletic wear and shift dresses. Iwaya crafted a brilliant mixture of fabrications in many pieces, such as a men’s overcoat that was paneled with wool plaid and a shiny velour paisley print with quilted puffy sleeves, as well as a women’s dress with a blend of lace, paisley sheen and a polka dotted chiffon. Another print series akin to Versace’s famous ornamental gold print was used on a number of looks for both men and women. –Chanyn Kirtman
KBF
KBF has a very strong commercial presence in Japan, made popular with its reasonable pricing and focus on established trends. The brand aims to create simple items with minimal feminine style, and with looks that are relevant for any modern woman. The runway show opened with a parade of chunky knits, marled wool capris and tea length sweater dresses. All pieces stayed within a safe range of earth tones: beige, mauves, moss green, and dusty browns. The models were styled very fresh with braided hair, delicate heels and tulle socks.
On a slightly more trendy scale, KBF also showed some floor length taffeta dresses in a variety of colors, but the solid tones and simple shapes kept them in line with the rest of the collection. There was also a beautiful charcoal gray belted coat with full skirt, and as the model walked you could see her kick out a red printed dress underneath. The show closed with all models wearing basic, floor-length white turtleneck dresses, reiterating the notion of KBF’s minimal, easy aesthetic. –Amanda Andrews
For recaps of the first two days of Tokyo fashion week, please click here. Check back soon for our report on the last part of the week!
