Tokyo Fashion Week: a niche for edgy young designers
loading...
For some, that is a missed opportunity. "It's a shame because this city is so inspiring," says Anna Dello Russo, editor at large with the Japanese edition of Vogue, adding that she thinks the young and creative designers showing in Europe should also show in Tokyo. "I...(would like to) come here to see all the up-and-coming Japanese designers, on the catwalk." But for the organisers of Tokyo Fashion Week, the fact that the big names still prefer Paris is not an issue.
"I think it is rather natural to prepare here in Japan and then go to Paris to try the world market. We like to rather encourage the people who go (on to) try the overseas markets like Paris," says Akiko Shinoda, director of international affairs at Japan Fashion Week. One reason why designers choose to show abroad is that faced with a shrinking population at home and a smaller domestic market every year, overseas shows offer the exposure needed to reach foreign buyers, explains Shinoda. With the big names absent, Tokyo's shows feature collections from around 50 smaller designers -- most of them Japanese.
Long tradition
With looks inspired by manga or Hello Kitty and clothes that range from the traditional to the avant-garde, Tokyo prides itself on its creativity, its street style, trendy shops and global reputation for design. But it is also aware that cities such as Seoul and Shanghai are piling resources into their own fashion weeks and could threaten Japan's leading position in Asia, Shinoda explains.
"At this moment Tokyo is top, top, top, there is no comparison. But we have to watch always that Thailand, Indonesia, Seoul, all the governments are investing a lot of money to encourage their own fashion week to develop. We'll be very careful." Japanese designer Yu Amatsu, who was behind the latest collection for Hanae Mori, the grande dame of Japanese haute couture, as well as presenting his own label "A Degree Fahrenheit" at this year's fashion week, says that Tokyo is a gathering of "brilliant craftsmen."
"B
"That positions Japanese fashion at the high-end. That's why we want products that are that much more creative and bring something different to the table, to justify the higher price," she explains. Japanese fashion journalist Keiko Hirayama says the key to the future of Japanese designers is their originality, their vision and their experience in selling in the current challenging economic environment. And she is optimistic about the future, regardless of the challenges posed by regional rivals and shrinking markets.
"We have the longest tradition of fashion in Asia, and the Japanese are passionate enough to make it endure." (Anne-Laure Mondesert, AFP)
Photos: Getty Images