You need to check out Issey Miyake’s fall fashion for 2008-9, they are stunning and quite sensational. Not all of his designs are made for daily wear, flamboyant as they are but then again you never know when you’re on the streets of Japan.
Check out the link to his fashion mag: Issey Miyake 2008/2009
I’ve blogged so much about Japanese street fashion, I feel like I have neglected the traditional aspect of Japanese fashion. Who says tradition has to be boring? The Japanese Women’s Society Foundation would like to digress and present you with their ultra hip fashion show utilizing kimono and it’s materials by a couture fashion designer, Chieko Yamaguchi.
To me fashion is an artistic statement but if you could combine picasso and prada, the outcome is always ambrosial.
Art-inspired fashion is increasingly visible on the streets of Tokyo in the form of T-shirts with artsy graphics, dresses with optical and abstract patterns, and other eye-catching items. An array of artistic creations were also unveiled in the 2008 spring and summer collections, from colorful Louis Vuitton handbags that are the product of a collaboration with modern artist Richard Prince, to the creations of Maurizio Pecoraro incorporating elements of the modern art of Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko, to Prada works evoking art nouveau. Many of the pieces could almost be works of art themselves.
Read the rest here…
Cindy Lauper can take out her 80’s wardrobe and prance around in her pink tutus again. Gah…
I thought this might interest you fashion people.
Part I:
Part II:
A very apt video about Fashion in Japan. More people need to be aware of the unique fashion culture in Japan instead of bashing it like some previously did.
Gloves are “in” for winter. Not only do they keep the fingerlings warm, they are the latest fashion statement in Japan right now. Wear them bold, wear them long, wear them short, wear them furry, wear them silky …whatever you do, just wear them this winter because it is the trend.
Now, this trend makes a lot of sense to me because gloves are a necessity during the cold winter months. Here are some pretty hot looking hand sock that will knock your socks off!
Black Leather Gloves by Cornelia
The psychedelic space dye gloves
I am crazy about the black leather gloves. Maybe it’s the extensively long lashes that’s smarted my senses…..
For me, when I walk the streets of Americas, winter time has to be the dullest time of the year. Out of 10, 9 coats are black or gray or beige. The lack of colors is murderous to the creative juices and sense of livelihood, if you ask me. But then again, black, gray and beige goes with everything and when the weather drops to sub zero, nothing is simpler than putting on your heaviest warmest coat to keep warm. And that’s usually the darker, duller colors.
This winter black and white phenomenon is not just secluded to the streets of caucasia, it’s a common sight in Japan, Korea, Taiwan and China during harsher cold months. But blimey, that’s all about to change changing! :)
Winter fashion is no longer dull with the splashes of colorful winter garbs. Reds and pink are extremely popular right now in Japan’s winter fashion! Color tuks, caps, jackets, scarfs, coats are making a scene and hallelujah! LIVE IS LIFE~!
Fashion enthusiasts are painting the town red, pink, and every other bright color under the sun as they set the trend this winter with colorful one-pieces leading the way. Bright colors are everywhere - from colored tights and other accessories such as shawls, hats, and boots to outerwear, including wool coats and down jackets.
In the 2008 spring/summer collection shows in Milan and Paris, many of the top fashion brands, including Prada and Balenciaga, paraded vibrant colors and vivid print patterns. The fashion standard over the past several years has been defined by chic color combinations centered on black, resulting in the shutout of bright colorful pieces, but for this winter and into the coming spring, the trend among young women is in the direction of bright, cheery colors.
Check out Balenciaga’s latest 08/09 fashion presentation in Milan:
While the usual black and beige is still there, notable streaks and splashes of colors are boldly presented.
Someone in the comments from the previous posts said this: “One thing the Japanese will never understand is that randomly throwing piece of colored garbage on their body is not called fashion its just mental retardation.”
Now, I may not find myself wearing like a Japanese because it’s not my style but to call it garbage is a whole different story. Dear commentor who wrote that, you need to be more open with your views. You may not like the clashes of color in Japanese street fashion or the elaborate costumes, that’s fine but you do not have to piss on it. Just walk away.
Anyway, look at this eco-friendly option made from lingerie.
Too bad they won’t promote it.I would buy it.
Women in their 30’s fashion are usually more elegant and mature. None of those frilly stuff you see with ladies in their 20’s where cartoon printed shirts with mismatch colors are worn. Arasa is short for araundo sati, the Japanese pronunciation of “around thirty.” Many women in that age group are going chic conservative. Here’s a very interesting article about women in the 30’s and their taste in fashion from Japan-Trends.
Brands and boutiques targeting the arasa market of women around 30 years old are a growing presence in the fashion market. A number of shopping malls catering to this demographic have been launched, including Yurakucho Marui and Marronnier Gate, both of which opened with fanfare this fall in the Yurakucho and Ginza districts of Tokyo. Fashion brands aimed at these women have also been opening outlets in redesigned department stores, while new types of boutiques are being started with a focus on women around thirty - a generation somewhat older than so-called young adults.
Features of the Arasa Brands
Arasa is short for araundo sati, the Japanese pronunciation of “around thirty.” It refers to women who were born roughly between the years 1975 and 1979 and are currently around 30 years old. The term is said to have been first used by GISELe, GLITTER, and the flurry of other magazines geared for women of this generation that have appeared since 2000, and nowadays it has gained currency in the consumer electronics and lifestyle industries, as well as in the fashion industry.Brands targeting arasa women can be classified into otona-gyaru (”grown-up gal”) brands characterized by a mature sexiness, which developed from the brands featured in the Shibuya 109 shopping mall devoted to young women; brands that give a mature and elegant twist to cute, ladylike styles; and brands originally designed by “select shops” (independent boutiques) that have a more modish and haute couture feel.
While retaining a sense of trend-conscious youth, leading brands in this segment of the market seek to inspire luxury and quality by using higher-grade materials and finer sewing. Moreover, many manufacturers are developing upgraded lines of brands that have been popular with arasa women since their teenage days, often topping the original brand names with prefixes like “more” and “plus” to convey the image of superior quality. BE RADIANCE, for instance, is a line focusing on the theme “radiant women” that branched out from CECIL McBEE, a favorite among Shibuya gals, while Le souk prix d’or is a variation of the Le souk brand popular with young career women.
Official venue and date has been set for the 6th Japan Fashion Week for 2008: -
Date:Mon, March 10 - Sun, March 16, 2008
Venue:Tokyo Midtown, LAFORET MUSEUM ROPPONGI and several other unconfirmed venues
For those of you who are into fashion, you will need to check this event out as it showcase the latest and upcoming designers and fashion. If you are a fashion designer and would like to showcase your work, be sure to attend the briefing session for Japan Fashion Week 2008 this coming 26th of October 2007 - for more information about the briefing go to JFW’s page.
Matohu’s Spring Collection for 2008 is already out:
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