3 Japanese Designers Pushing the Envelope
Tokyo is no stranger to bringing out an "awe" sensation within all of us. With there almost otherworldly mosaic of sub-trends and counter cultures, its hard to single out the brands that truly capture the spirit of Japan’s forward thinking. In more political, graphic, or structural garments can we find the leaders who inspire the already inspiring Tokyo fashion creators.
Tenbo-
A design house that has surely created major shockwaves in the Japanese and global fashion world since its inauguration in 2015. Its debut collection, headed by Bunka Fashion College alum Takafumi Tsuruta, featured other-capabled models walking the runway for the first time in Japan’s history. Since then, Tenbo has been following their mission of inclusiveness, awareness, and living with no fear in their designs. The Spring/Summer 2017 collection focused on the damnation of lepers in 1930s Japan. The garments in the collection used its inspiration from traditional Japanese clothing, such as the Kimono and Getas, but incorporated the London Punk style of political messages painted on t-shirts (reminiscent of the original Sex Shop boutique shirts created by Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren).
Plastic Tokyo-
The menswear label, established in 2012, takes a sillier approach to the more stern, tailored style. With changing silhouettes and asymmetry, the brand has taken its Tokyo streetwear inspiration and combined it with wild prints and structure to bring a childlike fun to their collections. Keisuke Imazaki’s, house designer and creator, Spring/ Summer 2017 collection used the message of fitting-in in the world of luxury to up the playfulness of their clothing. In silk shirts and distressed coats, the brand removed the exclusive feeling of the fashion industry in yet another collection.
Comme des Garçons-
No stranger to turning the world on its head, not only in Tokyo but internationally, Rei Kawakubo must always be included in the list of game-changing Japanese artists. The brand continues to create designs that challenge the eye with surreal shapes and silhouettes. CDG is an example of a brand dedicated to concept, not commercialism—something sparsely seen on today’s runway.
