Pachi Pachi

Japan Blue

One thing that I really like about JFW is the inclusion of random, somewhat related events. For example, this season there was an exhibition from the Japan Jeans Association.

There were examples of new eco-friendly techniques being explored by textile and production manufacturers.

Like fabrics made from banana stems (left, from Nisshinbo) and dyed with mulberry and lavender (center, right, from Nihonmenpu).

And those washed using eco bleach (below) and an “air washing” procedure using ozone.

Of course the exhibition had to point out that the reason for Japan’s extensive involvement in the denim industry is the long tradition of indigo dyeing. And since people don’t really wear the traditional indigo work wear (pictured below) anymore, the facilities and know-how have been turned to denim.

One company, Wahoojin, is mixing up the traditional and the modern.

Then there were some really random entries like this “Milky Way” of rivets created by zipper company YKK and this denim period dress.

While the “Japan Blue” part of the exhibit was invitation only, there was a public element in the form of the “Denim no Mimi Project.” “Denim no mimi” is the Japanese word for selvedge and this project saw textile manufacturer Kaihara team up with jeans maker Edwin to create art style installations from this discarded material.

From this I learned that Edwin opened a new store in April called Edwin Denim Galaxy in Arakawa-ku, which to my surprise, I have absolutely no idea what part of the city that is in. Maybe a textile center?! I’ll have to look into this.

The JJA also sponsors an annual Best Jeanist Award (yay! Celebrity factor) for the public figure voted as “wearing jeans the best.”

Pop singer and icon for the ero-kawaii (sexy-cute) school of dress Koda Kumi (far left) won the prize for the third year in a row.

JFW s/s09, day 1

The Tokyo spring/summer ’09 (already, yikes!) collections started at 10:30 on a very muggy (but at least not raining) morning on the terrace outside of the Tokyo Midtown shopping complex.

Actually rain would have been more fitting, since the runway for the Mint Designs show was bedecked with umbrellas and many of the outfits included plastic-y rain jackets and ponchos. Just when I was thinking that the collection could have done with a little less of these, a really cute clear plastic swing coat with the Mint Designs doll pattern in white appeared. Hmm… kind of want that, as well as swashbuckling rubber boots. Some of the dresses were pretty too, in more grown-up woven fabrics (as opposed to knit). This time the headdresses were a very “Night at the Museum” chic wooden model of dinosaur skeletons, which matched the prints on several of the items. The fitting theme was “Death Pop.”

Mint Designs on the terrace.

PR rep Naoko greeted me with apologizing for not returning my emails (or phone calls for that matter), but more than made up for it by seating me next to Risa Okamura from Ryuko (fashion) Tsushin. Risa writes content for the established fashion magazine and TV program and, bless her, decided to escort me into the Merci Beaucoup show (I was ticket-less) with her.

Then she took me back stage! Unfortunately Reuters was monopolizing designer Eri Utsugi’s time, but I did get to meet the show’s stylist, Mary Fellowes, who used to work for British Vogue. Mary and I went for tea after the show because I wanted to pick her brain about the experience of being a foreign stylist working with the JFW. Not to mention someone with a Vogue background working on something as out there as Merci Beaucoup! Anyway, more on that later…

 
More Mint Designs

During the show Risa had been explaining to me Mary’s influence on the ensembles, how they just looked more pulled together and sophisticated than a few seasons ago. It turns out that it is really just a matter of belted waists and matching shoes, but I could totally see Risa’s point. The synergy of designer and stylist isn’t something I had considered much during the shows, or the fact that some brands use stylists and others don’t.

I thought I should take photos back stage, you know the whole behind the scenes thing, but it just didn’t feel right. The poor models!  Some of them were in the middle of changing—nude colored bras, thongs, and all—with the male TV crews running around. I will post some photos from the JFW when they're up.

Of course no day can be perfect, when I got home I realized why my legs have been driving me crazy all day—18 new mosquito bites, likely acquired during the 45 minutes on the terrace.

 
Mint Designs with designers Hokuto Katsui and Nao Yagi.

CScout, this week

Ebi-chan “graduates” from Can Cam, girlswalker.com ties up with the Tokyo launch of SATC, and paper craft for whiling away the sultry (rainy) late summer days.

Retro gaming nostalgia = fashion?!

Rehashed from here, on the Fashion Snoops blog.

 

New select shop Redio opening party

Sure, Tokyo may need another select shop like “I need a hole in my head” or some more creative analogy that I am too tired to dream up now.

Still, who can miss an opening party? So Friday evening I stopped by to check out the new Omotesando shop Redio.

It may just be the first shop to go for “sento-chic.” Actually, the PR guy explained that the interior is actually supposed to resemble a home. It just happens that the bath area is in the front, and by far the most noticeable. The store also stocks a lot of high-end bath goods, so I say go for the sento look!

With a mix of guys and gals and a complete mish-mash of looks (read: preppy, pop, rocker, boho), I wasn’t sure what to make of it at first. But it turns out the theme is “new designers from New York” and, considering that I don’t make it to NY very often, it is definitely cool to have a means for keeping tabs on the city. I remember liking one brand quite a lot but, damn the champagne, I will have to go back and check the name again.

The shirt on the left says “New York Allstars” in katakana and of course the reception had to feature cupcakes. Though on second thought, they are a little too difficult to eat gracefully.

On the way back to the station I noticed that the Vivienne Westwood window has the SATC wedding dress lit up.  Ooh!

Yikes!

I am a Wikipedia reference!

The entry is for the Tokyo Girls Collection and references my post on the CScout blog last March. I even pass Wiki's "stringent" regulation—there is no note discrediting the sources!

JFW x Tokyo the movie

I went to a party at the Claska tonight for a JFW meets Tokyo the movie collaboration event.

The concept seemed to be that some JFW designers created items inspired by the movie, which were on display and will be then sold for auction. I can't say I found the designs very interesting, but maybe I need to see the movie? I did like this t-shirt from Crystal Ball though.

There were also some speakers, but the room was too noisy to really pay attention. Too bad, since I always see the guy on the right a fashion shows and events and was curious to learn more about him.

I don't really know what to make of the usual young, self conscious fashion industry crowd that attends these events. I guess I am one of them? From the uncomfortable looks of the designers and the bored expressions of the speakers, I am not sure that they can either.

CScout, August week 1

This week: RPG banks, digital meets analog Tereshibai children's toy, and Rilakkuma-themed rooms at the Royal Park Hotel.

Summer in the city

My latest post, "Traditional as trendy: the summer yukata," is up on the Fashion Snoops blog.

I thought I would add a couple of photos from the Tanabata Festival I came across on Takeshita Dori on Thursday, coinciding with the Meiji Jingu Fireworks.

Jon and I sort of caught the fireworks, drinking pineapple Chu-hais on the Omotesando pedestrian bridge. From that perspective it looked as if Omotesando, with all its brand flagships, were blowing up and raining bling.

Tokyo Art Beat t-shirts

Tokyo Art Beat has two new shirts out! One by Ko-Zou and one by Tada Reiko.

And a cute original photo shoot that takes place in a love hotel.

I actually found TAB shirts in a boutique in Shoreditch, London! Nobody seems to know how they got there.