The Japanese fashion
industry has
developed in only
eight years. The
clothes are mostly for
Japanese consumers,
but some are
beginning to appear in
the West.
Cocktail suit consists of jacket with
pleated panel and asymmetrical hem,
$496, straight skirt, $124, and
sleeveless shell, $114, from Hino &
Malee.
Opposite page: Takezo designs
jacket and matching bloomer-shorts in
a subtle floral print.
Photos by Michael O'Connor.
48
IN STYLE
Because it is
okyo
so new, Japan's ready-
to-wear industry is in
a greater state of flux
than the world's
other fashion cities.
Design firms come
and go. Several
new fashion buildings have been
constructed in Tokyo, and shows
took place in different locations.
Most shows were held in two main
tents set up temporarily in Harajuku,
a suburb near the 1960 Olympic
stadium. Called Yoyogi North and
South, the two tents were the same
size as those used for Paris shows,
except for a stairway at the entrance.
Photographers enter first, lining
up their camera bags in an orderly
single row on a first-come, first-serve
basis. Peer pressure prevents
sneaking or entering out of turn, and
only foreigners consider breaking
the rules. If the press door is closed,
Continued on Page 101