“Open, Fashion Week” – that was the overarching motto of the Spring/Summer 2024 edition of Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo, which focused on “strengthening the power of global transmission”. Like many other fashion weeks of its caliber, Tokyo has Fashion Week’s goal is to become more global – an element that was reinforced after the pandemic. This was also made clear by the conscious decision to hold the fashion week from August 28th to September 2nd. The date is therefore ahead of the international ones Look at the big fashion cities.
This season, the official program of the event, sponsored by Japanese retailer Rakuten since 2019, included 50 brands, 35 of which held physical and 15 digital presentations. Some also came from overseas, a change from last year and further evidence of the event’s commitment to taking a more global, holistic approach. However, as with the FW23 edition, it was clear that Rakuten wants to support the local industry in Tokyo to make the region’s fashion more attractive to buyers and the press.
A key part of this lies in the desire to bring strong Japanese brands back to Tokyo. This is also reflected in the event’s “By R” project, launched in 2020 to encourage well-known designers to return to their roots and support them in their fashion week efforts. This season, A Bathing Ape (BAPE) was invited to grace the people of Tokyo with their presence. It was the first time the brand, founded by Kenzo designer Nigo, held a show in its hometown. The participation was of course remarkable in two respects. On the one hand, Rakuten wanted to broaden BAPE’s appeal to even more fans inside and outside of Japan, and on the other hand, the company hoped to increase the profile of Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo to attract a wider audience.
Global Fashion Collective brings international momentum to Tokyo
Image: Launchmetrics Spotlight.
However, the desire to promote international creatives was also evident among the organizations taking part in the event. Global Fashion Collective (GFC) was among those who secured a prominent place on the program. They brought six emerging designers from around the world. The event, held in Omotesando, Shibuya, included a runway show where designers presented their collections not only in person but also online on the Fashion Week Rakuten website.
The one-year-old brand Jusma, for example, presented the “Multiple Impact” collection, in which sporty designs took on an upscale form and a contrasting selection of materials took center stage. Versatile design was also seen in the collection of Belgian designer Maxime Edward, who also chose to present a collection that adds a touch of classicity to urban, sporty garments. Also on the GFC agenda were the collections from Aline Arnoux, who presented her label Couleurs D’Afrique, and the French brand Alça, both of whom incorporated their personal roots into their designs. While Arnoux’s French-Cameroonian heritage was reflected in the use of wax paintings and embroidered Ghanaian scripts, Alça’s “Late Bloomer” collection was infused with African design details and told the story of a woman living to her own rhythm – another reference on the brand’s slow fashion values.
Heritage and culture were also an integral part of the collections of the Mexican design school CEDIM. Seven emerging designers from the Mexican design school’s Unfold collective honored the institute’s legacy. Karen Moriyama, one of the first Japanese creatives to venture into the fashion industry, also attended the GFC event. Moriyama, who usually works as an illustrator, has recently shifted her focus to textiles, and her SS24 collection “Tsubomi” is an extension of this development. Silky silhouettes and flowing fabrics have been embellished with hand-drawn images and colored in traditional Japanese painting style.
Image: Launchmetrics Spotlight.
Showrooms further strengthen global brand presence
Although the collections have been welcomed by viewers and fashion industry insiders alike, it is clear that there are still challenges for those looking to make a name for themselves in the Japanese fashion scene. It is these obstacles that showrooms like And are trying to overcome as they join the Rakuten program. For three days, the And Showroom in Tokyu Plaza presented its range of local and international brands to attendees and buyers. Led by founder Akira Kudo, the showroom aims to help its brands gain a foothold in the Japanese retail market.
When choosing brands, Kudo seems to take a more personal approach, considering both the newness of the brand and whether or not it “appreciates his sensibilities.” Brands that appear to have met these requirements include Italian footwear label Fracap, Japanese company Ivxlcdm, British brand Universal Works and Hungarian clothing brand Zsigmond. This selection also hopes to appeal to the major Japanese buyers, department stores and media that the showroom is aimed at. However, Kudo pointed out that the number of domestic shoppers has declined after the pandemic, while the number of overseas shoppers is “gradually” increasing.
And’s participation in Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo was a sign of the event’s renewed focus on international participation. Kudo noted that he, too, wanted to make a small contribution to fashion week – even if he arrived a little late in the shopping season. The showroom’s experience dealing with Japanese and international brands has given Kudo a good overview of the challenges faced when faced with contrasting markets.
For And and Kudo, the future lies not only in business deals and expansions, but also in conscious and thoughtful actions. “Next year I want more people to know And and have a positive influence. I think fashion has many meanings,” Kudo explained of his vision for the showroom and the industry as a whole. “The best thing is not just to make money, but to be able to live a peaceful and humane life. This has become a key word in the fashion industry in recent years, but it is also important to act in a truly sustainable and continuous way in order to achieve this “To give something back to the earth and the future.”
This translated and edited article originally appeared on FashionUnited.uk