Fashion Week Tokyo SS16 - h.NAOTO & YOSHIKIMONO
The final day of Fashion Week I went to see the show of h.NAOTO in a warehouse like location in Chiba.
Starting off with beautiful renaissance like goth dresses h.NAOTO tapped right into what one would expect. I was actually more surprised to see many ready to be worn simple print shirts and simple coats to be presented.
This SS16 has Naoto experimenting with print graphics (the tights were just wonderful!) and military style. Also he put more detail on accessories and the high heels with steam punk like metallic design were so on point.
The collection was nice, although I had wished for a little more goth like tops – the white print shirts were a little too normal for my taste.
Also the location was very far and the lighting not very camera friendly – something which could have been improved with one spot light at least.
All in one my highlights were the tights, heels and goth dresses and cropped leather jackets.
Back at Hikarie the final show at this years Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo was Yoshikimono. A kimono brand formed/supported by X-Japans band member Yoshiki.
Being a kimono lover myself I was interested what a music artist could bring to the table in terms of combining Japanese traditional clothing with his rock style.
The show started off with the drum sounds of a taiko until Yoshiki himself stepped out to his see-through piano which was placed in the middle of the runway. He then began to play and violins underlined the classical music when the first models presented the kimonos on the runway.
Kimono styles varied from almost traditionally worn to wild ones being draped onto the models body to show off bra and legs but with long obi belts and fabrics flowing over the floor. To me it was a little weird mixture and almost seemed like they tried a little too much to make the kimono look cool or anime like.
Well as an art form and show itself it was interesting to see the layers and fun styles, but for me the focus seems to have not been on the kimono itself but more on Yoshiki himself. The kimono seemed a little out of focus.
Speaking of the designs there were some nice ones (I loved the checkered one and the traditionally worn white with colorful stripes), but the majority was not really new – thunderbolts, skulls and butterflies are patterns which seemed not very creative to me.
I was really grateful to have been invited and am sorry for the critics therefore – especially since all the PR was made in Yoshikimonos favour – but to me this was not very impressive. It was all about the artist and show.
Well, its all wrapped up now.
Fashion Week is over. I met many wonderful people and saw a lot of inspiring fashion.
Thanks everyone for having me!
My outfit for the last day:
Antique kimono with black Nagoya obi and leo print accessories.
Coordination and kitsuke by me.
Also was great to catch up with RinRin, Misha Janette of the Tokyo Fashion Diaries, Yuri, Mappy, Samantha Mariko and the lovely Designer of tenbo and everyone else I met through the days and forgot to mention ♡
See you soon,
Anji
