Valerie Steele in Tokyo

In BlogMay 6th, 2010

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I went to Tokyo recently to continue my research for the book and exhibition, Japan Fashion Now.  It was a really productive – and fun –trip, and I discovered some terrific menswear designers, such as Factotum, White Mountaineering, and Phenomenon.  I also saw how much Chitose Abe of sacai has developed over the past year; she’s always been a good designer, but her clothes are becoming increasingly beautiful and sophisticated. My Tokyo-based friends, especially Tiffany Godoy, helped me track down examples of the new street style – mori girls (translation: “forest girls”) took me to visit shops like Grimoire and Conocoto, which specialize in the look. I also scoped out the latest Gothic & Lolita fashions. One definite highlight of the trip was attending a gothic–punk fashion show by h.NAOTO.  I also had the opportunity to interview one of Japan’s most important designers, Jun Takahashi of Undercover, about how his style has been developing .

I’m especially excited that Idol singers Hangry & Angry will not only be featured on the cover of the book  and the exhibition graphics for Japan Fashion Now, but they’ll also be lending clothes to the exhibition from their personal wardrobes.  It is a fascinating story how h.NAOTO developed the idea of comic grotesque characters, the punk and gothic cats Hangry & Angry, which then also inspired a singing duo. We plan to feature a video of one of their concerts next to the section of the exhibition featuring h.NAOTO clothes. But I better not give away too much about the exhibition before it opens on September 17th.