Highlights of Japan Fashion Week (II)

Not so long ago I wrote about Japan Fashion Week SS09 held in Tokyo and about my favorite collections presented there. Well, here are three more.

Matohu is a young label designed by Hiroyuki Horihata and Makiko Sekiguchi and probably "the next covetable Japanese export" as Fashion Wire Daily considers. Both Horihata and Sekiguchi studied the Apparel Design Course at Bunka Fashion College (Tokyo) and after graduation they subsequently worked for Bora Aksu in London.

 

 

After returning home, in March 2005 they launched Matohu, a womenswear
label which mixes contemporary design aesthetics - modern silhouettes,
simple, comfortable cuts - with Japanese traditional sensibility. A
signature piece for Matohu is their kimono jacket worn loosely belted
and layered over slouchy trousers and flowing dresses. For
their spring 2009 collection the designers used a traditional Japanese
tie-dying technique called "tsujigahana" creating beautiful, elaborated
prints.

Motonari Ono is a young designer (born 1981) who studied fashion design at Mejiro Design School (Tokyo), London College of Fashion Foundation (LCF) and at the Royal College of Fine Art Antwerp. In 2004, he joined Bora Aksu (London) as a chief pattern-maker and, after returning home in 2006, he established his namesake label - motonari ono.

 

 

The time spent in Europe has left a strong mark on his design philosophy: his spring 2009 collection has strong military influences and romantic, historic references mixed with his version of Lolita look. Motonari Ono sent down on the runway "porcelain dolls" dressed in military jackets teamed with short shorts and miniskirts, waistcoats, mini dresses and rompers with puffed sleeves, poet shirts with Elizabethan removable collars in ivory white or deep black with red and gold details.

Norio Surikabe, the man behind Support Surface label, worked for more than 10 years with Italian fashion houses (Romeo Gigli, NN Studio, Alberto Biani, Trussardi) as an assistant, then chief designer and design consultant. In 1999 he started his own label, Support Surface, offering high quality clothing which allows women to be true to themselves.

 

 

In 2003 he won the prestigious Kuwasawa Award prize, smoothing the labels' path to success as it has every chance of becoming an international brand. Every Support Surface collection, the spring 2009 line most of all, exudes the elegance of classical sportswear mixed with beautiful, soft fabrics and a impeccable flair for draping, folding and pleating.

Fashion designer Sbahat Khan

Shy Sbahat Khan in usual dress Shalwar Qameez permanently belongs to Dehli. Her friend Nirma took this picture inside her house. She belongs to high class but she loves to live like most peoples in India. She regularly attends exercises class in Fatima Jinah Park. Sbahat is so conscious about dress collection rather then other babes. She says in shalwar qameez, she is the most popular for South Asian Women specially India girls.

Highlights of Japan Fashion Week (I)

September 1st to 5th, Tokyo: Japan Fashion Week hosted 37 brand (maisons) spring 2009 shows. Among them, young designer Aya Furuhashi of fur fur label who presented a youthful, bohemian collection in garden-like scenery.

Under those many layers and flowers you can notice sweet and feminine pieces such as frilled baby-doll tops and chiffon dresses; three quarter length sleeved spring coats and jackets in precious taffeta or brocade as well as flower printed leisure trousers, all in warm, sun-bleached shades.

Another wonderful collection showcased at Japan Fashion Week is signed by designer Hidenobu Yasui, a collection which could pass as minimalist, considering the narrow color palette (white, dark blue, navy and black), if it weren't for the draping, pleating and elaborate details such as rosette pockets.

The clothes are very modern, in soft fabrics and with masculine influences: three-piece pant suits, baggy trousers or blazer inspired evening dresses. On a more feminine side are those short jackets with elbow sleeves and long, flowing skirts.

The designers at new-born label Lep Luss, Seiji Igeta and Yoshiko Kato sent down on the runway a very sophisticated, lady-like collection. And that's no wonder for their couture background. Seiji Igeta, a graduate from Esmod Japon, worked for Issey Miyake while Yoshiko Kato, an alumnus of Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, joined Yves Saint Laurent and Issey Miyake before establishing in 2008 Less Plus Design Co. Ltd. and launching the fashion line LEP LUSS.

And last but not least, Mikio Sakabe spring 2009 collection designed by Mikio Sakabe and Shueh Jen-Fang is a mix of 60s through 80s references with short hems, op-art patterns, cocoon shapes, bow-blouses, oversized mannish blazers and futuristic, silver leggings and shoes.