The lack of strong menswear talent on the schedule is a sticking point. “Tokyo’s designer fashion scene has traditionally been very strong in menswear, yet unlike other global cities, Tokyo does not have a dedicated men’s fashion week aligned with the international menswear calendar,” says Mami Osugi, a Tokyo-based editor who serves on the jury of the Tokyo Fashion Award. “As a result, Tokyo’s talented menswear designers often miss out on the global attention they deserve.”
JFWO is currently working on solutions, says Imajo. “One thing we may do in February is try and get the [off-schedule] brands to show closer to each other, but stretching everything out is easier for the designers because they are able to get the models and the venues [they want],” he says. Staying in closer contact with visiting buyers and inviting them to off-schedule shows is also an option JFWO are considering, Imajo adds.
A growing front row
Another of Tokyo Fashion Week’s main challenges has been its lack of international buyers and press. JFWO is gradually addressing this, and this season, invited more influential figures from Asia and beyond. Returning attendees this time included Andreas Murkudis of the eponymous store in Berlin, and journalist Eugene Rabkin of Style Zeitgeist; new invitees included menswear and womenswear buyers from 10 Corso Como in Seoul and IT in Hong Kong.
Rabkin intends to continue attending Tokyo Fashion Week whenever possible, finding it more interesting than Europe. “There are a lot of designers that you can only see here in Tokyo,” he says. “There is more of a connection between the brands, the fashion shows, the shops and the people in the street. In Paris, I always feel like I’m in a circus, and I don’t get that feeling in Tokyo, because you actually see interesting kids in the street. There’s more congruence.” Kohei Hashimoto, a womenswear buyer at Isetan, echoes the sentiment. “Tokyo stands out for the depth of consumer understanding of clothing and the closeness of fashion to everyday life. I believe it surpasses any other city in this respect,” he says.
Read More
What is Japanese style today?
Japanese fashion customers are becoming harder to define. They are also spending less. We asked industry insiders to explain how tastes and norms are shifting.
June Moon, chief womenswear buyer for 10 Corso Como Seoul, served on the jury of the Tokyo Fashion Award and was invited to attend Tokyo Fashion Week for the first time. “Compared to Seoul, which is very trendy and changes very fast, Japan is more consistent,” she says. “Japanese designers have their core philosophy and build the brand around this story.”
Legacy designers, new faces and breakthrough talent
Even with its smaller size, the week offered a blend of newcomer debuts alongside the return of legacy designers. Tsumori Chisato, known for her pastel kawaii prints and bold silhouettes, joined the schedule for a show celebrating her brand’s 35th anniversary. “It was my first time showing in seven and a half years,” she told press after the show. “I put all the rainbows and colours in my clothes to show my appreciation for everyone, for supporting me for all these years.”