FIDé Fashion Weeks 2013: Japanese Couture – Junko Koshino + Japan Creative Centre Presents

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It was my second night here at FIDé Fashion Weeks 2013
featuring Japanese Couture, an evening segment which showcase the collections
of three well-known Japanese designers namely: Junko Koshino, Yoshiki Hishinuma
and Keita Maruyama. 
The first fashion show of the night was by Junko Koshino,
one of the most highly acclaimed fashion designers in Japan. She is best known
for her fashion label and boutique, Junko Koshino located in Toyko, Japan.
Junko’s world of fashion is all about contrast, bold straight lines and
geometrical shapes. She believes that putting the opposites together creates a
whole. Her play of juxtaposition in colours,lines and shapes is her unique style
of creating modern,edgy and dramatic fashion pieces for women. It’s amazing
that even at the age of 74, Junko’s burning passion for fashion is still alive.

As the models strut down the runway with Junko’s fashion pieces, you can’t help but to notice the beautiful contrast in texture and colours of the fabric that is probably one of the elements of haute couture – bold striking features which is attention-grabbing and eye-catching.The
interplay of shapes and lines in her garments has also interestingly draws out the beautiful
silhouette of women. After all, what’s fashion if it doesn’t adds character or
enhance the beauty of a person?
There were also some traditional and culture-inspired pieces
in her collections where she cleverly turned traditional Japanese and Chinese
costumes into simplified modern pieces of art. Though Junko’s clothings were couture pieces, I do feel that some of her pieces were actually made wearable for
day-to-day occasions. Who knows, maybe we would be get bored of our everyday fashion one day and start wearing haute couture pieces on the streets? The individualistic-self inside of us could very well emerge anytime.
The next segment of the show was by Japan Creative Centre
(JCC) where the top 3 winners of the ‘3rd JCC
Sustainable Fashion Design Contest
‘ from both Japan and Singapore
present their award-winning designs. There are a total of 6 selected Street couture themed garments,
designed by the top 3 winners of the contest,which will be displayed during the Japan Couture Evening. The winners of this fashion design contest are Emi
Nagaiwa, Yuri Takagi and Shihori Morisawa from Bunka Fashion School; and Brenda
Ling, Chen Zi Peng and Josephine Quek from the Fashion schools in Singapore.
The Sustainable Fashion Design Contest, organized by Japan
Creative Centre, is annual competition which was held since 2011. This competition serves as a platform
for fashion designer students in Singapore and students from Bunka Fashion
School (Tokyo) to exchange and share ideas on the growing importance of
sustainability and responsible design within the fashion industry.

Interestingly,
sustainability has been very much linked to the Japanese philosophy of
Monozukuri which means craftmanship. ‘Mono’ refers to things which are made and ‘Zukuri’ refers to the process of making things. This form of Japanese tradition is often related to the production of environmentally
friendly craftwork where the craftsmen would exercise great care in using resources wisely,without being wasteful.

It’s certainly heartening to know that there are such efforts made to
promote the awareness of sustainable fashion (or eco fashion). Perhaps, an eco-couture showcase on the fashion runway could
be organized during FIDé Fashion Weeks next year?



JUNKO KOSHINO

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JAPAN CREATIVE CENTRE

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Designed by Emi Nagaiwa

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Designed by Yuri Takagi

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Designed by Shihori Morisawa

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Designed by Brenda Ling

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Designed by Chen Zi Peng

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Designed by Josephine Quek

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(Photos by Deenise Glitz. All images are unedited.)

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