Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo closed on Saturday, just as the cherry blossoms were starting to paint the town pink. The fashion found on Tokyo’s Fall ’14 runways seemed more “Japanese avant-garde” than ever, but perhaps not in the way one might think. While the Japanese in Paris tend to be severe and dark, the inclinations of Tokyo’s catwalks lean more to the kawaii street movements that come with bright colors and catchy hooks of POP. Issey Miyake-backed brand Né-net (above, left) showed apron dresses splashed with cute, big-eyed manga girls and coquettish eyeball motifs. Thai brand Sretsis (above, right) arguably did kawaii better than the Japanese, and turned out signature flowery baby-doll dresses. The label is a staple on the streets of Harajuku. Mikio Sakabe pushed his fringe “pop-otaku” (anime geek) aesthetic to the extreme by casting only male models for his feminine collection. The cult of otaku is flirting with fashion more than ever before.
Another area in which Tokyo excels is menswear. Factotum is just a few eccentric details shy of being the next (N)umber (N)ine, and designer Koji Udo’s sleek pajama-party collection is already a hit among the city’s top buyers. On the other end of the spectrum is 99%IS (above, left). Now in its sophomore season, the label is already a fan favorite of streetwear aficionados. The house collaborated with Mackintosh on a number of rubberized motorcycle jackets, which climaxed in postapocalyptic cacophony when teamed with black plaster masks and aggressive studding.
One of the strongest shows was by local sportswear brand Onitsuka Tiger, which teamed up with Italian designer Andrea Pompilio for its first ready-to-wear collection. In a palette of black, white, and orange, it was racer-inspired but filled out with tailored suits that reflected the modern Tokyo man to a T.
If this is causing sensory overload, clean your palette with Dressedundressed (above, right), whose study on precise minimalism would make nineties-era Calvin Klein cry with jealousy. The Fall ’14 collection was inspired by Zen rock gardens. The lineup’s soft lines brought the week some cool harmony.
