Tokyo Fashion Week Fall/ Winter 2015: Our highlights
updated the 6 October 2015 à 23:15
As one of Asia’s most anticipated fashion weeks, here’s our roundup of what trends dominated the runways in Japan.
On our side of the world, Tokyo Fashion Week just wrapped up in all of its quirky, edgy, radical and spirited glory. More often than not, the sartorially-forward city is synonymous with dark, austere shades of black and grey (with Harajuku-esque style as an exception of course), however this season saw multiple injections of bright colours and a whole lot more eccentric inclinations.
Judging from the sheer creativity on display, it probably comes as no surprise that in Asia, we tend to either look to Tokyo or Seoul for inspiration as designers there are constantly innovating or are at least bringing some intriguing aspect to the table. Whether that comes in the form of colours, fabric manipulation, play on silhouettes or experimentation with prints.
So as we round up the first major leg of fashion week here – before moving on to Seoul – we compiled some of the leading trends that dominated the runways.
Sartorially Sombre
Yes, there were pops of shades other than black but the fact remains that this sombre colour is no doubt the definitive aspect of Tokyo Fashion Week. Every designer and label from Christian Dada to Ysutoshi Ezumi, Adeam and A Degree Faranheit sent down looks washed in all hues of darkness. However, the sleek silhouettes and play on texture and fabric no doubt served to lessen the sorrow outlook.
Appliques & Embellishment
Veering away from being overly kitschy, apparels were either beautifully adorned with floral appliques as in Sretsis and Keita Maruyama or embellished with cherry toppings and other intriguing approaches to ornamentation like badges and pins at Takeo Kikuchi. Sometimes minimalism and simplicity is not key in fashion.
Mix & Match
Experimentation with combining different silhouettes, prints, fabrics and cuts was strong on the runways. From Dresscamp mixing florals with polka dots to Keita Maruyama pairing camouflage jacket with a printed skirt and Facetasm layering and complementing 5 different tops with varying hemlines – clearly the idea was to show that anything and everything goes in Japan. As long as you feel confident in what you’re wearing that is.
Let Loose
Another defining signature with Tokyo lies in the shape of silhouettes. While this season saw a lot more refined and structured tailoring – taking cue from menswear – the relaxed lines did not leave the show. A whole host of designers paraded down their ideal billowy and floaty ensembles that either had exaggerated volumes or no clear form. Hanae Mori for instance presented a collection filled with soft pastel-coloured flared pants paired with equally loose fitting long coats or tops. Support Surface on the other hand showed exactly how comfortable the collection was with their slew of roomy pants.
Tarandip Kaur
