10 min read
August 27 | HARE | HAPPO-EN
The first stop was perhaps the most quintessentially Tokyo combination of all: centuries-old surroundings and contemporary streetwear. Japanese label HARE returned to the runway after a four-year absence, presenting its Spring/Summer 2027 collection at Happo-en, a historic garden known for its traditional architecture, bonsai and tranquil landscapes.Titled 霽レ HA-RE / Clarity, the collection explored the space between Japanese tradition and the rhythm of modern city life. Fluid draping met oversized proportions. Utility details softened structured silhouettes, while familiar Japanese references were reinterpreted through HARE’s clean, contemporary language. The setting made the contrast even more striking. Against the quiet greenery of Happo-en, the clothes felt unmistakably urban — a reminder of how naturally Tokyo allows different eras and aesthetics to coexist. For a fashion week guest, it was a beautiful opening statement: in Tokyo, tradition does not necessarily belong to the past.
September 1 | MITSURU OKAZAKI | PLAT SHIBUYA
A few days later, the mood became darker — and considerably more introspective. At PLAT SHIBUYA, designer Mitsuru Okazaki began with an observation that is almost painfully familiar: people standing on a train platform, everyone looking down at their smartphones. It’s a strange sight, isn’t it? - the phrase, originally spoken by the designer’s father-in-law, became the starting point for the collection. Okazaki connected the image to the mysterious Grey Gentlemen from Michael Ende’s Momo, whose presence in the story represents the theft of human time. The first look captured the idea immediately: a man moving through the city with a vacant expression, his attention fixed on his phone. His “bound” outfit referenced artist Tetsuya Ishida and his imagery of office workers constrained by packing twine. Elsewhere, details from Momo appeared in unexpected forms. A circular collar echoed the corridor in which Momo is chased by the Time Thieves. Silver elements decorating the collar initially looked like futuristic fabric, but were actually made from the metallic backing of a candy package. It was exactly the kind of detail that rewards a second look. And perhaps the most interesting part of the show happened away from the runway. While taking notes on her smartphone, the journalist suddenly caught herself doing precisely what the collection was questioning. She looked up. The designer’s words lingered: there is something wasteful about dressing beautifully, going out into the world — and then spending the entire time looking at a screen. For a few seconds, the runway disappeared, and Tokyo itself became the collection.
September 3 | CHARINYEH | SHIBUYA HIKARIE HALL B
By September 3, Fashion Week had shifted from Tokyo streets to the waters surrounding Taiwan. Making its Tokyo debut, Taiwanese label CHARINYEH brought more than four decades of design history to Shibuya Hikarie with its collection Island Tides. Creative Director Yeh Cha-Rin looked to Taiwan’s identity as an island, translating the creatures and textures of its surrounding waters into playful fashion. Octopuses from Penghu, rare white dolphins and coral became sources of inspiration. But instead of simply printing marine imagery onto clothes, CHARINYEH pushed the idea into three dimensions. Octopus tentacles turned into sculptural skirts. Coral became spiky knitwear. Marine references appeared exaggerated, humorous and deliberately unexpected. There was a sense of fantasy running through the collection — as if the ocean had briefly surfaced in the middle of Shibuya. But beneath the playfulness was a significant moment for the brand. After four decades spent developing its presence in Taiwan, Yeh Cha-Rin explained that she wanted to look beyond the country’s borders and use Fashion Week to introduce Taiwanese culture to a wider audience. The designer, 75, seemed to possess more energy than anyone in the press room. As the long Fashion Week schedule began to take its toll, her enthusiasm appeared to have the opposite effect on everyone around her. Tokyo, for one evening, became a meeting point between two islands.
September 4 | YUKIHERO PRO-WRESTLING | KORAKUEN HALL
The final invitation was the most unexpected. The destination: Korakuen Hall. The theme: VENUE. And the atmosphere: pure adrenaline. Returning to Fashion Week for the first time since its Fall/Winter 2019 collection, YUKIHERO PRO-WRESTLING brought fashion into the world of professional wrestling — not simply borrowing its visual language, but placing the collection inside one of Japan’s most iconic wrestling venues. Embroidery inspired by the wrestling ring covered the tops. Masked wrestlers appeared across prints and even on buttons. Pop colors and energetic graphics captured the theatricality of the sport, while prints depicting wrestling moves turned the language of the ring into fashion. Then the legendary names began to appear. Naoko Fujioka, the first Japanese woman to win world titles in five weight classes. Women's pro-wrestling pioneer Aja Kong. Renowned boxer Yoko Gushiken. New Japan Pro-Wrestling star Togi Makabe. Their appearance changed the energy of the room instantly. This was no longer simply a runway. It felt like a celebration of a world with its own heroes, mythology and history. For designer Yukihiro Teshima, the connection was deeply personal. YUKIHERO PRO-WRESTLING has already created apparel merchandise for Korakuen Hall and is scheduled to design the logo for the venue’s renovation next spring. At the end of the show, Teshima stood at the center of the stage for his closing remarks. His voice carried through the hall. Tears appeared in his eyes. For someone who had admired Korakuen Hall since childhood, presenting his collection there was the kind of Fashion Week moment that goes beyond fashion. Watching from the press area, the journalist found herself holding back tears too.
A Week in Four Frames
Four shows. Four locations. Four completely different stories. HARE found clarity in the meeting of Japanese tradition and contemporary streetwear. Mitsuru Okazaki asked a deceptively simple question about where our attention goes. CHARINYEH transformed the marine world of Taiwan into playful, sculptural fashion while opening a new chapter beyond its home market. And YUKIHERO PRO-WRESTLING turned a runway into an emotional homecoming. Perhaps that is what makes Tokyo Fashion Week so compelling. Fashion here does not exist in isolation. It moves through gardens, train stations, cultural identities, literature, sports arenas and the everyday life of the city. For a young influencer experiencing Fashion Week from the press side, four invitations became much more than four shows. They became four different ways of looking at Tokyo - and, occasionally, a reason to look up from the phone and simply take it all in.