Rei Shito: The Scoop – Tokyo Fashion Week

There’s no place like home: no matter how bright the lights in Paris or how dazzling the designs in New York, street style photographer and fashion influencer Rei Shito always returns to Tokyo – and its truly singular sense of style. Having attended the runways of Paris Fashion Week in February, Rei headed to her hometown for the biannual Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo. Here, she shares her impressions.

Rei says: “The major difference between the events in Tokyo and Paris is that, while Paris is of course one of the global fashion weeks, drawing international labels, huge designers and major fashion players, Tokyo Fashion Week is primarily a local event featuring Japanese brands, designers and personalities. Tokyo is relatively laid-back – there aren’t as many shows, and there’s more leeway in terms of scheduling. And since it’s all about local fashion lovers getting together, everyone is friendly and the atmosphere is relaxed.

“I’ve been frequenting Tokyo Fashion Week since 2007 and have observed many changes in that time. There was a period when both women’s and men’s brands were both well represented, a time when young and wildly creative talents had centre stage, and a period when there were not many brands to speak of. This season, we saw a lot of brands in the women’s contemporary sector.

“One of my favourite shows this time was Anrealage Homme. Tokyo-born designer Kunihiko Moringa just launched his mens collection this year, with the debut show held at Odaiba’s Telecom Center using the circular floor of atrium’s top level as a runway (see minute 15:10 of the video below). The collection was full of the thoughtful detailing that Moringa is known for, but the pieces are more wearable and better suited to everyday style than his women’s collection, which I saw in Paris.

“I was also drawn in by the very first catwalk show of Takuya Sunagawa’s label, Mister It (see minute 0:41 of the video above). Previously a designer for Maison Margiela, Sunagawa left to launch his own brand in 2017, and this was his debut fashion show. The collection was characterised by deconstructed and re-imagined garments – dresses seemingly made of scarves, a purse resembling a clothes hanger, a button-up shirt with a floor-sweeping train, tops consisting only of a collar and flowing sleeves. He has a real talent for making simple garments into something spectacular.”

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]