J-pop and sci-fi: outlandish shows at Tokyo Fashion Week

The Marc Jacobs of Japan, singing cats and models cloaked in armour: J-pop and science fiction transformed Tokyo Fashion Week spring/summer 2017 into a style fest unlike any other. In a world where fashion mines entertainment like never before, Japan's established and break-through labels pounced on musical hook-ups, street culture and animation to drive interest. Mikio Sakabe got the biggest applause of the week for his show in Miyashita Park, a last hurrah before it closes for renovations ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.

Read the rest here: 
J-pop and sci-fi: outlandish shows at Tokyo Fashion Week

Forget Paris, focus on Tokyo, Japan fashion told

Tokyo may be the style capital of Asia, but with South Korea and China snapping at its heels and Japan's most iconic brands rooted in Europe, the city is being urged to haul its fashion week into the big leagues. Tokyo Fashion Week kicked off its spring/summer 2017 season showcase on Monday with six days of events intended to promote 50 brands, a mixture of the established and the new. Tokyo Fashion Week attracts only 50,000 visitors — just a quarter of the total number that attend New York's two annual fashion weeks, and also lagging behind London, Paris and Milan.

See the original post here: 
Forget Paris, focus on Tokyo, Japan fashion told

Japanese rocker’s modern kimonos kick off fashion week in Tokyo

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese rock star and fashion designer Yoshiki kicked off the week-long Amazon Fashion Week Tokyo on Monday, taking to the stage to perform music as models strutted by on the runway in his futuristic kimono creations. Yoshiki, co-founder and drummer of rock band X Japan, played the piano and drums during the show for his brand Yoshikimono, which presented kimonos in metallic colors and leather in a modern twist to the traditional garment. Models also wore printed strapless dresses and see-through plastic tops. …

See original here:
Japanese rocker’s modern kimonos kick off fashion week in Tokyo

Japan’s apparel industry in hi-tech bid to secure future

From ready-to-wear knits manufactured instantly to customised dresses produced on inkjet printers, Japan's apparel industry is turning to state-of-the-art technology in a bold bid to cut labour costs and secure its future. At manufacturing giant Shima Seiki's factory in western Japan, garments materialise in minutes, thanks to digitally-programmed automated machines that can turn out a sample seam-free pullover in half an hour with a push of a button. The WholeGarment system patented by the Japanese manufacturer and sold to knitwear companies like Italian luxury brand Max Mara includes a digital design system that allows users to choose patterns, colours and cuts.

Read more: 
Japan’s apparel industry in hi-tech bid to secure future

The fashion scouts taking Japan’s underground labels global

Far from the flashbulbs of Tokyo fashion week, Yoshio Yokobori is juggling multiple roles — talent scout, cultural interpreter, dealmaker — in a quest to help foreign buyers navigate a labyrinthine design landscape and access Japan's most exciting underground labels. Although Tokyo's streets offer up a wealth of inspiration for global trend spotters, Japanese designers have struggled to make a dent abroad in recent years to follow in the hallowed footsteps of influential and successful designers such as Issey Miyake and Yohji Yamamoto. It's a problem industry insider Yokobori knows well.

More:
The fashion scouts taking Japan’s underground labels global