F.I.T.'s Tokyo Fashion Festa

 Earlier this month, amid the chaos that was NY Fashion Week, the Museum at FIT hosted the Lolitas, Cosplay and fantasy hair and makeup at the Tokyo Fashion Festa.

A fashion show was presented featuring manga, cosplay and Gothic fashion.  There were makeup and hair demonstrations to complete the fashion looks.  Following the style portion, there was a tea party reception for all the participants and fans. This festival was an extension to the current museum exhibit, Japan Fashion Now that has been extended until April 8, 2011.
Hair & Makeup photos by Lawrence Brenner.  Cosplay Photos by Philip Ng.

There and Black Again: Aguri Sagimori from Tokyo Fashion Week

OK, we know fashionistas around the world (and especially Goth-loving fashionistas) love black as a wardrobe staple. Can you truly keep things beautiful, unique and creatively interesting for each and every outfit with only one color? Answering this question with a resounding YES during last month's Tokyo Fashion week was Aguri Sagimori.

Her looks for this season used the textures of black to cleverly reveal the body in different ways. The styling of the hair and models were reminscent of Daryl Hannah's character in Blade Runner.

The 24 year old designer was one the more highly anticipated shows of the event and won both the Prize for Excellence at the New Designer Fashion Grand Prix and the Nagoya Fashion Grand prix Contest in 2007.

Fur Fur's Shipwreck Goth Fashion show in Tokyo

Might this actually be a new genre of dark fashion aesthetic? Aya Furuhashi's collection for Fur Fur at Tokyo fashion week showed Victorian inspired pieces last week along a vintage clothing strewn runway. A dreamy live band played while models gave the impression of distressed damsels lost at sea. Bustles and bloomers met frayed edges, lace and rope trim.

Mikio Sakabe's Manga Themed Fashion Show

Japan Fashion Week designer Mikio Sakabe staged a manga-inspired fashion show on Friday in Tokyo's Akihabara district, as part of the Akihabara Entertainment Festival. Not exactly Goth, but the looks did put an edgy spin to Kawaii and maid-inspired looks with tulle, candyland colors, and animal ears as accessories. Models were courtesy of the area's famous themed "Maid" cafes. The adorable ladies walked the runway in a tribute to anime, manga and other modern Japanese entertainment forms.