Japonaiserie: Designer fashion clothes

Japanese designer fashion is often referred to as Japonaiserie, meaning it is heavily influenced by Japanese art and culture. For many people, Japanese designer clothes are often something beautiful to look at, but not wearable enough.

Compared to their Western counterparts, Japanese fashion designers are rather incipient. It wasn’t until in the 70’s and the 80’s did Western culture, particularly fashion-capital Europe, took notice.

The first Tokyo Fashion Week began in the 70’s, a period where Japanese apparel industry was a booming business and the demand for newer designer clothes was growing. At that time, the world knew little of Japanese fashion, but couldn’t dispute the fact that the work these designers presented were artistic, creative and different.

A decade later, twelve talented designers showcased their collections in Paris, in a ready-to wear (prêt-a-porter) fashion show. These designers brought something distinctive compared to the ruffles and silks Western designers seem to be very fond of. Black or monochrome was the basic theme, long before black became everything to modern fashion. Oddly shaped and unstructured clothes made Japanese designer clothes stand out from the rest. These designs were thought to change the fashion world altogether.