Rei Shito: The Look #52

While most cameras were trained on the catwalks during the Italian fashion capital’s biannual style extravaganza, Rei Shito had hers focussed on the most interesting runway of all: the streets. Here, she shares some of her favourite looks from the event’s opening show.

Rei says: “At the recent Milan Fashion Week, I was lucky enough to attend the very first show on the very first day: Diesel. 

“I think it’s no exaggeration to say that Diesel is one of the most powerful brands at the moment. Fittingly, the show’s audience was a who’s-who of style influencers and fashionistas, all sporting the brand’s pieces yet interpreted through their own individual sense of style. 

“There was this adventurous attendee who got creative – and courageous – with her Diesel gear, wearing a pair of belts as a bra top. The lingerie peeking out from her trendy cargo trousers is a provocative detail as well.

“I see a trend emerging: this fashionista is also showing off her Diesel undies with not one, but two pairs of boxer shorts emerging above her belt. I thought the way she styled her look was totally unique, from the denim hat to the pointy pumps peeping out below her distressed denim cargos.

“The twin trend has never really gone away. These two are each cute and stylish in their own way, but they make a real statement together. The bodycon silhouette of their dress and skirt is very of-the-moment.

“What cute hair, accentuated with those ribbon cut-offs – and an original use of Diesel’s signature denim! The repetition of the denim colour in her gorgeous high-heel boots ties it all together.

“This is such a perfect example of what fashionable kids are wearing today: the guys gravitate towards boxy silhouettes, roomy from head to toe, while the girls are showing off their curves in bodycon styles with deep slits that bare ample skin – bold is beautiful! 

“All across fashion week, many fashionistas – especially influencers – lease clothes from a brand just to wear to that brand’s show. In fact, sometimes the pieces are styled exactly the same as in the designer’s lookbook, from top to bottom. Although they’re fashionable, I can’t see the wearer’s personality in such a look.

“But in the case of the Diesel show, whether the clothes were leased or owned by the wearer, I felt that most people there were taking a ‘personality first’ approach and styling the pieces according to their own taste and individuality. These are the kinds of people I want to photograph: not just fashionable people, but people who really have fun with fashion.”

About Rei Shito

Each month, Rei Shito identifies one defining look that she’s spotted on the street, whether at home in Japan or abroad on her latest trip to the world’s fashion hotspots, providing readers with a fresh, thought-provoking perspective on current trends. Rei is acclaimed as one of the planet’s most original and influential street style photographers and fashion bloggers, publishing her work on her blog Style from Tokyo, as well as several magazines in Japan and overseas, such as vogue.com. For more street style inspiration, follow Rei on Instagram and check out her videos on YouTube.
[Portrait Rei: Jun Tamura]