Japan Fashion Week: Mid-week update

Tokyo’s 9th bi-annual Japan Fashion Week kicked off on Monday at the Midtown complex in Roppongi. With the tightened silhouettes and generous use of French lace, we may have to admit that Tokyo’s fashion ingénues have grown themselves some sophistication.

But it wouldn’t be Tokyo without the quirk, and at the half-way mark, we have already been given plenty to marvel and ponder.

mintdesigns smattered a jacket with a screen print of Charlie Chaplin’s smirking bust. SOMARTA brought out an army of English roses in oversized helmets made of petals. And Hidenobu Yasui presented a line of dresses where handbags conspicuously grew out of the garment.

Dress33 took the [plastic window-display] cake, however, with a collection made of various high-end, high-tech fabrics synthetically produced to look like cellophane and colored vinyl. "I could do couture with a nice jacquard but I wanted to do something new. So I chose vinyl," explained designer Toshikazu Iwaya after the show. I never imagined Iwaya as a vanguard for shower curtain couture, but here we are.

Our guide to Japan Fashion Week is still available here.