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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Robbie Williams' chair for Moooi 'is a complete mood'Softly padded and cocoon-like, Robbie Williams’ Introvert chair makes a surprisingly gentle addition to Moooi’s theatrical universe
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Nordic Knots arrives in London with a stylish pied-à-terre in Mayfair‘Design has always been about creating a feeling’: Nordic Knots brings its vision of home to Mayfair
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New London restaurant Lagana drizzles Shoreditch with extra olive oilPachamama Group’s latest spot turns the namesake Greek flatbread into a philosophy, pairing childlike creativity with generous, unfussy cooking
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Chanel’s le19M lands in Tokyo with an exhibition that marries Parisian savoir-faire and Japanese craftWallpaper* gets a tour of ‘La Galerie du 19M Tokyo’, a new exhibition that sees craftspeople from Chanel’s network of artisans, le19M, unite with their counterparts in Japan for an intriguing cross-cultural exchange
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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
