02 August 2006

tsumori triumphs

With the recent explosion of Asian fashion designers in the Western fashion scene, emerging names like Derek Lam, Doo-Ri Chung, and Thakoon Panichgul, in conjunction with established labels like Vera Wang, Anna Sui, and Vivienne Tam, and esteemed houses like Yohji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake, and Rei Kawakubo, plenty more Easterners are standing out.


Ciara Christensen (Women) oooooooAurore Malaterre (Next) oooooooooTania Balash (IMG)


Nataliya Gotsii (Ford)oooooooooooo Elena Melnik (City)oooooooooooo Olga Sherer (1)


Ciara Christensen (Women)ooooooO Jessica Sjöö (Ford) oooooooooooO Mor Katzir (1)


Robyn Connor (Marilyn)ooooooooO Olga Sherer (1)oooooooooooooooO Marla Boehr (IMG)

Tsumori Chisato (who worked for Issey himself), delivers and delivers well. The Bunka Fukuso Gakuin graduate’s clothes are highly coveted in Asia and she is gradually getting the international recognition she deserves.

Her Fall/Winter 2005 collection, my favorite, is a mixed bag of amusement and opulence. With the cute owls, she seems to have drawn inspiration from Native American designs. A couple of her garments recall a more pulled-together (dare I say) bohemian edge. She moves on to pink and blue prairie garb and quilt patterns, a couple of dresses with an Eastern European folk feel, and her signature patchwork silk dresses. Her color palette is muted and bold at the same time, distinguishably Japanese and refreshingly edgy.

Posted by ilovesecondhandsmoke @ 12:55 AM