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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Fashionable Christmas baubles to accessorise this year’s tree, from Bottega Veneta to LoeweSelected by the Wallpaper* style team, a gleaming array of Christmas baubles for fashion fans featuring fantastical designs from Bottega Veneta, Loewe, Prada and more
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Discover South Carolina’s Hilton Head Island: food, fun and beachside blissWith natural splendour and a balmy, subtropical climate, Hilton Head Island beckons beach-goers, gourmets and golf fans alike
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A look inside the home of George Homsey, one of the fathers of pioneering California modernist community Sea RanchGeorge Homsey's home opens for the first time since his death, in 2019; see where the architect behind some of the designs for Sea Ranch, the pioneering California modernist community, lived
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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
