Nihilism, rage and rebellion are not normally key words associated with Japan Fashion Week – the changing of the fashion seasons are usually celebrated with colour and kooky designs in Tokyo, but few of the designers who showed at the 8th JFW were in the mood to party in these funereal economic times. Black is back – and it’s accessorized with a sneer.
A few of our favourites from Japan Fashion Week
Hemlines at many of the shows stayed defiantly high, hoods were up, zippers exposed; warrior and rebel themes were popular; inky black was teamed with grey, purple, simple geometric prints or a hint of gold; satin and naturalistic artificial fibres predominated, and the silhouette was ultranarrow.
Thirty-seven brands showed at sites including Tokyo Midtown, Hotel Claska and La Foret Harajuku, and the crowds were out in big numbers. Japanese A-listers dotted the front rows and a larger than usual contingent of international press were in force. Sure, the shows were less ostentatious and the clothes more wearable, but JFW lived up to its billing as one of the key global fashion weeks.
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What is recycling good for, asks Mika Rottenberg at Hauser & Wirth MenorcaUS-based artist Mika Rottenberg rethinks the possibilities of rubbish in a colourful exhibition, spanning films, drawings and eerily anthropomorphic lamps
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Jessica Anne Woodley’s ‘joyfully imperfect’ furniture seeks your inner childThe designer is launching GliFfY, a furniture studio offering playful forms that reflect on her personal growth
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A house on Ireland’s wild Atlantic coast blends into the landscapeOn the Atlantic coast, Cruit Island’s craggy topography and wind-swept vegetation inspired the form and composition of this beachside family retreat in Donegal
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Minä Perhonen’s Tokyo show explores the emotive power of materialA new solo exhibition by Japanese fashion and textile brand Minä Perhonen at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (MOT), explores the meaning of craftsmanship and the role of design in society
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Hat trick: the magic of Japanese milliner Kijima Takayuki -
Pablo Coppola on Bally’s 100-year archive exhibition at its new Ginza flagship
