Tokyo fashion week was set to open Monday with
a show by a US designer, an arrangement observers say underlines the absence
of local labels on the world stage despite the city’s reputation for edgy
streetwear and shaping global trends.
More than fifty fashion houses will exhibit their collections over the next
six days, casting a spotlight on designers working with materials ranging
from
denim to handwoven silk.
“There is no shortage of design talent in Japan,” said Akiko Shinoda,
director of international affairs at Japan Fashion Week Organization, which
is
responsible for the event.
“Unfortunately many designers and textile houses are still quite unknown
outside Japan, (so) we need to promote them,” Shinoda told AFP.
At times Tokyo’s pavements feel like their own catwalks, with youngsters
sporting an array of weird and wonderful ensembles.
Beanie hats worn by girls high on their head seem to be everywhere this
autumn, even with the mercury still in the mid twenties.
But while Tokyo’s fashionistas are applauded by bloggers and columnists
worldwide for their daring and sophistication, the wealth of street style
inspiration hasn’t translated into big business — for Japanese designers
anyway.
Frenchman Loic Bizel was among the first style hunters to cash in on
Tokyo’s unique status as a laboratory of trends back in 2001.
“This city is so ahead of the curve when it comes to fashion, trends
begin
here and then months later, maybe even a year later, they go global,” Bizel
told AFP.
The Tokyo-based trend-spotter plays a key role in this process.
For anywhere between 700 US dollars – 1,200 US dollars a day, he takes
clients representing
retail giants like H&M, Nordstrom and Zara on a tour of Tokyo’s most edgy
boutiques, tucked away along quiet side lanes and often known only to
fashion
insiders.
Bizel’s clients pay big bucks to his company, Tokyo Fashion Tour, to
scout
inspiration.
“In one case, we had buyers from Primark who must have bought some
20,000 US dollars
worth of samples in a single day, in the end they had to buy extra suitcases
to carry all the stuff,” Bizel said.
All too often trend-setting designs from boutique Tokyo shops are adapted
or even copied outright, particularly by Chinese manufacturers, for a
fraction
of the original cost.
“Most Japanese designers work on a small scale, they don’t have patent
protection or legal teams who can fight back so it’s easy for big brands to
copy their designs and make money from it.”
Industry veterans like Shinoda acknowledge the severity of the situation
and say they are pushing local designers to secure their trademarks and
protect their labels against fraud.
“Unfortunately we see many instances of our designers’ logos being copied
and trademarks being registered by companies in China,” she said.
“We have to find a solution.”
Traditionally Japanese designers — with notable exceptions like Issey
Miyake, Kenzo and Comme des Garçons’ Rei Kawakubo — have not paid much
attention to overseas markets, either in terms of brand protection or sales.
“For a long time… the fashion industry in Japan did consistent and
sufficient business solely in the domestic market, so there was no need (to
pursue) international markets,” said Izumi Miyachi, deputy managing editor
of
Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper.
The country’s chronic birth rate drop however has prompted a slowdown in
domestic consumption, Miyachi told AFP.
As a result, Japan’s apparel industry has shrunk, declining by 10.3
percent
between 2013 and 2014.
Imports have risen steadily over the last decade while Japanese designers
with global ambitions — from legends like Yohji Yamamoto to thriving new
label, Sacai — prefer to stage shows in Paris instead of Tokyo.
But that doesn’t worry the organisers of Tokyo fashion week.
“We can’t compete with Paris, Milan or New York,” Shinoda said.
“But what we can do is provide a platform for young designers who are
starting their careers.” (Ammu Kannampilly, AFP)
Image credit: AFP Photo/Toshifumi Kitamura