Tokyo Fashion Week Fall 2015: Part 3

Tokyo fashion week came to a close on Saturday, but some of the best shows were saved for the end. The last two days saw voluminous faux fur coats, chic black ensembles, womanly sophistication, and lots of very cool, edgy street wear. Read on for our final reviews of the season.

House of Holland

British designer Henry Holland is a well-established international designer who has shown his collections during both London and Tokyo fashion weeks, gaining critical acclaim. The brand portrays a cool, confident London girl and each season is influenced by street culture and attitudes across the UK. It can be found at most major UK department stores and at Isetan here in Tokyo.

This season’s models stomped the runway with high confidence in their chunky platform boots. The opening few looks played with an oversized vibrant pink houndstooth print that later reoccurred in an equally cool sheer black fabric. Some pieces had vinyl details, which added an interesting sheen. The use of pleated skirts peeking out from the hems of skirts and dresses broke up the busy plaids. The final looks carried the dramatic faux fur theme in fun oversized clutches, scarves, vests, and vibrant striped coats. The silhouettes were very feminine, and while the combined styling of some looks was overwhelming, you could easily pick pieces to create a more subtle style. –Amanda Andrews

Noir FR

The meaning of Noir Fr originates from “brothers of black,” and designer Syota Masuda hopes the clothes will be loved by their owners they way they do their own brothers. Masuda started in the fashion industry as a buyer but quickly moved into his real passion, design. By 2010 Noir Fr was founded, with the goal to enhance people’s beauty, regardless of gender.

This mixed gender collection did not deviate from black and gray, with only small design details in silver. The collection was very polished and clean-cut, with just enough edge to it. The men’s straight black pant with silver stripes on the calf was a stand out. The women’s pieces were more basic and lacked the edginess of the menswear, however they were well tailored and ready for personal accessorizing. –Amanda Andrews

Support Surface

Support Surface showcased an elegant and modern collection, set in the grand ballroom of the Ritz Carlton at Tokyo Midtown, with a string quartet playing in the background. The models were styled with chic French twists and metallic and patent leather oxfords for an interesting detail. Designer Norio Surikabe worked in fashion for many years in Milan, where he developed a clear aesthetic for modern garments with a chic European edge.

In this collection he used his draping skills to create playful but elegant silhouettes in muted tones with pops of orange and magenta. Forty-six looks came down the runway. Some of the more notable ones included a beautifully structured gray cape dress, palazzo pants in a wide variety of fabrics, and high neckline tops embellished with jewels. The jackets were well tailored and lined in bright colors or different fabrics, giving them dimension and interest. Likewise, some of the dresses, tops and pants carried the theme of having a strong solid colored fabric in the front and a different but complementary fabric on the rear of the garment. –Amanda Andrews

Hanae Mori Designed by Yu Amatsu

Designer Yu Amatsu delivered his second collection as newly appointed designer for Hanae Mori, bringing a freshness to silhouette, details, and graphics. Amstar, who also designs his own brand A Degree Fahrenheit, is tasked with attracting a younger customer to the venerable Japanese label.

Amatsu’s fall collection was a compilation of today’s trends and luxe fabrications, producing elegant pieces for the contemporary woman. The sequence debuted a vast mix of separates in warm hues of gray accompanied by a standout series in cyan, seagreen, and pale chartreuse. Laser cut lace stood out on tops, blazers, dresses and wide legged, cropped trousers. Faux furs, tweeds and ribbed sweater materials brought additional texture and dimension to the modern designs. Midi length skirts, cropped sweaters, and floor-grazing coats were shown in various textures and colors. –Chanyn Kirtman

Whiz Limited

Hiroaki Shitano established the Tokyo street culture brand Whiz Limited in 2000. The brand pushes past stereotypical streetwear and has developed a cult following, also gaining mainstream popularity through its collaborations with Adidas, New Balance, Reebok, Stussy, The North Face, A Bathing Ape and more. You can find the brand’s styles in its flagship store Lump Tokyo in Harajuku.

The staging for this season’s show shouted tough, strong, and urban, with the entire runway caged in by chainlink fences. But the show, it turned out, was not Shitano’s fall collection. Rather it was a sort of “greatest hits” exhibition from Whiz Limited’s past 15 years. There was a wide range of garments, from patchwork denim and corduroy to southwestern motifs and leather biker jackets. Accessories were also notable; backpacks with quilting details and the popular sneaker collaborations were prominent. Most of the pants had a capri length or were layered with southwestern knit shorts in very outdoorsy fashion. The combination of prints, textures and accessories worked well in this urban show, and demonstrated that Whiz Limited’s collections are not bound by seasonal trends. –Amanda Andrews

John Lawrence Sullivan

Interestingly, Arashi Yanagawa was a professional boxer before becoming a self-taught fashion designer. It’s no surprise then that the brand is named after a famous boxing champion, John Lawrence Sullivan. The basic concept of his clothing lies in impeccable tailoring accentuated by edgy styles. He expanded with a women’s collection in 2010 and has also been showing at Paris fashion week since 2011. He is one of six designers to win the Tokyo Fashion Award this year, prompting his return to the Tokyo runways. The award was given to brands that have the most potential to grow in the international market. You can check out the John Lawrence Sullivan flagship store in Nakameguro.

The show featured a three-dimensional cubical runway with the models posing in the center of the cube. This striking atmosphere played into the sharp lines of the garments. The models were also styled very sleekly with mirrored sunglasses and slicked-back hair, giving an overall strong vibe. The first three looks showcased gray tailored jackets with pops of cobalt blue, layered with mock turtlenecks. A sporty beige jacket lined in bright orange followed. Two women’s looks in monochrome leather with boxy shapes came through and the remaining looks were all well tailored men’s outerwear, the dark tones momentarily broken up by a lustrous silver trench coat paired with orange skinny pants. –Amanda Andrews

Factotum

Factotum knows how to use denim and has a passion to blend high fashion with everyday use. This year designer Koji Udo, formerly of Beams, was also a winner of the Tokyo Fashion Award. Factotum’s concept is based around tailored but functional clothing with inspirations from the designer’s own travels. In 2014 it celebrated its tenth year by collaborating with Birkenstock. The line can be found in various boutiques around Tokyo and internationally in Hong Kong, China and Manhattan.

The collection opened with a strong denim look accented with cream shearling and was followed by six similar looks of loose, airy shirts and jeans with patchwork stitching. The color palette throughout was subdued with mostly charcoal, black and a few splashes of dark mauves and navy woven in. A highlight was the charcoal plaid that was used in many pieces, including the lining of a light gray long wool coat. Also notable was a gray bomber jacket with a shearling front and pinstriped sleeves, paired with a black hoodie and dark, subtly striped ankle pants. –Amanda Andrews

Facetasm

After working for several years as a textile designer for Comme des Garçons, Zucca and Undercover, designer Hiromichi Ochiai launched Facetasm in 2007. Due to its immediate popularity and rising growth, Facetasm is considered one of the edgiest and promising brands of Tokyo fashion week.

Ochiai is know for mixing street style with high fashion influences, but this season his collection also had a refinement to it. Trend pieces such as motorcycle jackets, pleated skirts, and double-breasted blazers were revolutionized with unorthodox styling and interesting combinations of materials. Chiffon layered, pleated skirts were worn over wide-legged trousers, and lots of suit-like pieces were given a casual edge by pairing them with high-top sneakers. –Chanyn Kirtman

For recaps of the previous days of Tokyo fashion week, please click here and here.