FASHION /
WOMEN
March 6, 2015
Feature | Popular Japanese Designer Brands: A Look at the 2011-12 Autumn/Winter Collections
Feature: 2011-12 Autumn/Winter Womenswear Collection
Check Out the Latest Looks from Popular Japanese Designer Brands!
Japanese designer brands are gaining more attention with each passing season. Although many brands had to cancel their scheduled shows due to the Great East Japan Earthquake, some held their shows as planned, offering a bright spot, while others delivered exciting news, such as sacai's first show-format collection presentation in Paris, and the launch of a menswear collection from TOGA. This season makes us re-evaluate the appeal of "Made in Japan." Here, we introduce the 2011-12 Autumn/Winter collections from Japanese designer brands that are currently drawing attention.
Text by OPENERS
Chapter 01: Star Brands Making Their Mark on the Global Stage
sacai
Tel. 03-5428-6254
sacai
Chitose Abe
This season, structured silhouettes are created through the combination of various elements such as materials, color blocking, tastes, and items, while also expressing a sense of dynamic lightness.
Key items for the season include a bomber jacket with a cape-like silhouette constructed with three-dimensional patterns and details, a dress combining a low-gauge bell-sleeve knit cardigan with a chiffon shirt dress for a lighter feel, and a rider's jacket with hand-knitted cardigan sections and cotton-wool sleeves.
TOGA ARCHIVES
Tel. 03-5475-7031
TOGA
Yasuko Furuta
Under the theme "entwine, bind, knot," the TOGA 2011-12 Autumn/Winter collection constructs three-dimensional expressions through the combination of materials with different properties, decorative knots created by clever cutting, and details like draping and shirring formed by tying fabrics. Based on black and dark green, with accents of pastel colors like yellow and pink, it presents TOGA's signature edgy yet chic style.
Chapter 02: Handsome Womenswear by Men's Designers
MIHARAYASUHIRO TOKYO
Tel. 03-5778-0675
MIHARAYASUHIRO
Yasuhiro Mihara
The theme is "Alt-elegance," a hybrid collection that fuses the essential elements of design: elegance and functionality. Men's items like military blousons and tailored jackets are expressed using lightweight, soft melton jersey and vibrant pile jacquard. By uniting the delicate and refined aspects of womenswear with the functionality and simplicity of menswear, MIHARAYASUHIRO creates a unique worldview.
Chapter 03: Beloved Brands in the Tokyo Mode Scene, Highly Popular with Buyers
beautiful people
Tel. 03-3560-7457
beautiful people
Hidenori Kumakiri
With the concept of "rabbit fashion," the brand offers soft and supple trad wear as an antithesis to the rugged fashion prevalent in menswear. Centered around loose styles incorporating oversized men's items, the collection proposes deluxe-sized one-piece dresses under the unique theme "RENT YOUR BOYFRIEND ONEPIECE!?" The installation where the entire design team actually cross-dressed became a topic of conversation.
Gem Projector
Tel. 03-5459-4420
http://www.ambell.jp/
AMBELL
Bunzo Kadono
This season's collection is inspired by the abstract expressionist Barnett Newman, famous for his single-color canvases with thin vertical lines. The collection presents items created by integrating different elements with artisanal craftsmanship into elegant and feminine silhouettes reminiscent of Newman's peak period in the 1950s. Using fabrics that develop character with wear, the collection is designed to make the wearer feel luxurious from within.
Chapter 04: Womenswear Collections Born from the Men's Mode Scene
porlar.White Mountaineering
Tel. 03-6416-9111
porlar.White Mountaineering
YOSUKE AIZAWA
"Polar," the womenswear collection born from "White Mountaineering," one of the most dynamic brands in the Tokyo menswear scene, offers daily wear that combines feminine designs with the meticulous details characteristic of menswear. This season, based on a palette of subdued colors and motifs, it creates depth and richness by adding various tones, materials, and patterns to a world of gray and beige, shaping a unique image. It depicts a woman with a distinct worldview, expressing "strength," "transience," and "serenity" within a clean aesthetic.
JOHN LAWRENCE SULLIVAN
Tel. 03-5428-0068
JOHN LAWRENCE SULLIVAN
Arashi Yanagawa
Known for its designs that strike a perfect balance between elegance and playfulness, and its renowned tailoring, "John Lawrence Sullivan" applies the techniques used in its menswear collection directly to its womenswear items, creating a unique, handsome female image. This season, based on a chic color palette, the collection features mannish styles with beautifully silhouetted bottoms like cigarette pants and wide trousers, paired with the brand's signature tailored or minimalist rider's jackets. It's a collection where one can enjoy the balance of individual item characteristics and volume.
FACTOTUM femme
Tel. 03-6692-7426
FACTOTUM femme
Koji Udo
"Factotum," a menswear collection that develops wardrobes with keywords such as tailoring, military, work, and denim. The brand's creator draws inspiration from the people, landscapes, and atmosphere encountered during his travels to various countries. For this season's "Factotum Femme" womenswear collection, inspired by "Cafe Time," the brand proposes relaxed styles using gentle colors and soft materials, incorporating the cafe culture and everyday atmosphere of San Francisco.