Behind the scenes at Japan Fashion Week

Japan Fashion Week (JFW) is an enigma. Regarded as a hotbed of talent and innovation overseas, the fashion show is largely unknown at home.

Traditionally, it has been an incredible task to get up-to-date information on collections and designers, as designers are horribly behind when it comes to updating their websites.

This season, measures were made to open up the show. Nearly every scheduled show was streamed live via the JFW official website with various events taking place from October 1 through to the last exhibitions and events on October 29.

The plan seems to have worked, especially for menswear brand Phenomenon, which had the world's third most-viewed video on Ustream the day it debuted.

Model gets her rainbow-colored hair blow-dried at Nozomi Ishiguro.

Putting on a show

The show costs millions of yen to produce. The most expensive aspect is the lighting, equipment and risers. In the past, those items have eaten up 80 percent of the JFW budget.

Young designers, such as Motonari Ono, have publicly complained about not being able to afford simple show amenities such as risers for their second row of seats.

Models are also expensive, especially Western girls flown in on three-month contracts. Japanese models come at a much better price.

Male models are often paid pennies -- Japanese males may have to settle for working for clothes.

Behind the green curtain

Unlike other fashion capitals, where the backstage area is raucous and hectic, the Tokyo show is quiet and nearly devoid of reporters and hangers-on.

Here, however, we get a peek at models getting ready for the show for five of our favorite brands; Somarta, GVGV, Nozomi Ishiguro, Liz Lisa and Shida Tatsuya.

Click "View Gallery" above for images.