Tokyo Fashion week visits NYC for a night

Last night after enjoying cocktails with my favorite editors and PR gurus, we all sat down to enjoy a 'best of' compilation fashion show of the Spring 2009 collections from some of the hottest designers coming out of Tokyo. It was a lot to digest as 10 designers each showed between 4 and 5 looks. On the whole, I found the event very refreshing. Having spent the last few years attending New York fashion weeks, I have come to know what to expect in terms of trends and shapes. It is easy to foresee the evolution of fashion when you watch the changes season by season. However, the Japanese have entirely their own palate, which I admit that I am not as familiar with as I would like to be.  I find their ideas exciting and vibrant, and hope that I have the opportunity in the future to pull more from their world.

Somarta included a fantastic sheer black skirt with a black cage underneath, that while being reminiscent of McQueen, still had an edge all its own (sort of lolita goth). Especially when it was followed up by a similarly shaped cagey dress, only the entire thing was crocheted.

Hidenobu Yasui played on the oversized slouchy menswear for women, but pushed everything as far as he could.  The fabrics were silky and rich, which gave the looks their femininity, despite the fact that he used as much volume as he could get away with. I also enjoyed the fact that the women unabashedly walked down the runway with mens oxford shoes on (about 5 sizes too big).  

G.V.G.V managed to mix trends by overlaying a tan and black trapeze chiffon dress over a fitted dress with a wide black patent corset belt, which simultaneously showed off her figure whilst volume billowed around her. 

Mint Designs borrowed it's inspiration from the 80's with it's multi color techno prints and shiny chiffons billowing voluminously away from heads adorned with wooden dinosaur skeletons.

Yes...there was much to digest. And whereas there were a lot of recognizable trends, the Japanese seemed to attack them with fearless fervor from different angles. All in all, it inspires experimentation, exploration, and expression.