ISETAN MEN'S buyers and WWD Japan look back on the Spring/Summer 2016 Tokyo Collection, which began in mid-October.

ISETAN MEN'S store buyers judge! Top 3 of the Spring/Summer 2016 Tokyo Collection

From October 12th (Monday, public holiday) to 17th (Saturday), the 2016 Spring/Summer "Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo" (hereinafter, "MBFWT") was held. During the Tokyo Collection period, when more than 50 brands held runway shows and presentations, popular brands handled by Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building also presented their latest collections. To commemorate the collaboration project between ISETAN MEN'S Store's website "Isetan Men's Net" and the fashion weekly "WWD Japan" website "WWDjapan.com" which will start this month, Yuji Takahashi, buyer for International Creators on the 2nd floor of the building, looks back on the fashion weekly "WWD Japan" and "MBFWT".

──What are your impressions of this season's "MBFWT"?

Talented designers have delivered solid collections. While Tokyo brands tend to stick to either streetwear or tailored styles, this season they impressed with their relaxed, effortless styles, while still maintaining a distinctly Tokyo-esque sense of mixing and matching.

—So, which is the best brand among them?

MIHARA YASUHIRO's collection, featuring linen and denim transfer prints, was light and airy while still emphasizing craftsmanship. It also had a sporty feel and a lightness derived from women's wear. FACTOTUM's collection exuded an oriental mood. While many pieces featured simple and basic layering, items with strong patterns added through embroidery and prints stood out. I heard that the oriental motifs were well-received by overseas buyers.

──Who are some of the most promising newcomers?

sulvam's collection, designed by Teppei Fujita, a former Yohji Yamamoto designer, showcased his meticulous patterns. The level of refinement, including the partial embellishments, improves with each season. The denim coat, a casual material, was also excellent. Although this is only their second season at Tokyo Fashion Week, we can expect great things from them in the future.



The theme is "Dada." The inspiration comes from "Dadaism," an artistic philosophy that combines different elements to find new beauty. Sometimes, a single garment is used to hybridize workwear and military styles. Other times, multiple garments with different tastes and silhouettes are layered to express "Dadaism" within a single garment or a single style.

The inspiration comes from animism, the belief that spiritual beings reside in everything, whether organic or inorganic. Simple clothing, such as collarless coats and pullovers with simple patterns, that humans have worn when confronting gods or spiritual beings, are updated and layered to create an effortless, relaxed layered style.


The denim-focused collection features a wide range of oversized outerwear, including inside-out jackets and long gowns with exposed seams. Tencel shirts with raw hems are also becoming more genderless, transforming into relaxed tops for men and short dresses for women.