"Fashion World Tokyo 2018 Spring" will be held at Tokyo Big Sight from April 4th to 6th. Held twice a year in spring and autumn, the show is Japan's largest comprehensive fashion exhibition, bringing together women's and men's clothing, bags, shoes, accessories, textiles, and OEM products from around the world. This year's show will feature a record-breaking 830 exhibitors from 34 countries, showcasing the 2018-19 Fall/Winter collections. Aside from the show, a "Seminar for Revitalizing the Industry and Supporting Young Designers" will be held during the show, with 38 lectures. Ahead of her seminar on April 6th, "Unraveling the Present and Future from the Fashion Frontlines," we spoke with Rei Shito about her lecture outline and the new trends she has noticed at the Paris Collection and on the streets of Paris.





FASHION HEADLINE (hereinafter FH): What will the seminar you will be giving on April 6th be about?


Shito Rei (hereinafter Shito):I have just returned from Paris where I was for the 2018-19 Fall/Winter Paris Collection, so I was hoping to talk a little about Paris... There are very few journalists in Japan who cover both runway and street fashion trends, so I hope to share with you my thoughts and feelings from photographing many people at the collection venues and on the streets of Paris. There is a slight difference between what designers propose on the runway (fashion show) and what's really popular on the street.


FH: The title of the seminar is "Unraveling the Present and Future from the Fashion Scene," so could you tell FASHION HEADLINE readers a little about what you'll be talking about?


Shito:I think of the people who come to the Paris Collection and street fashion as a way to check the answers. Many brands propose various trends at collections. Are these trends being carried over to the collection venues and streets six months later, and are they actually being worn? For example, even if a collection suggests a trend color for this season or that an item is new, I sometimes feel like I don't actually see many people wearing or owning those colors... Popular brands and items that you often see in the media are not necessarily being used on the streets, so it's not always the case. We'll be checking out next season's Paris Collection venues and the streets to find out what the actual situation is.


FH: That's interesting.


Shito: Looking at the streets is the best way to find out which brands are popular, which brands have fallen out of fashion, and which brands are on the rise. You can learn about the clothes and brands that are actually popular with customers, without the bias of magazine tie-up ads or brand business.




FH: Can you sense that from the atmosphere of the city? Can you tell from the photos?


Shito:I capture the atmosphere of the city in my photos, and then as I organize and re-edit them, the image emerges. It's different every day. One thing to be careful of is that recently, there has been an increase in "dressing up" incidents around collection venues, where brands lend their clothes to influencers to promote their brand and clothes. I try to avoid photographing such clothes and people as much as possible, but sometimes such photos end up in the photos, and in that case I remove them afterwards. Clothes purchased with one's own money. I think that is what truly garners support from real consumers and customers, in other words, content that can be considered a street trend.

I'm not particularly attracted to people borrowing clothes from a showroom a few hours before the show, wearing them to the collection, returning them afterwards, and then going to another fashion house to borrow more clothes. It's not stylish, and it doesn't reveal the person's own style.

Shito:In Paris, I take about 1,000 photos a day. If something is cute, I'll take more (laughs). It depends on the case, but I can usually see about 5 or 6 brands a day. This time, we tried to include more collections by young designers.


FH: Did you discover anything new?


Shito:In the past, Paris Collection was a long-awaited event, but now I wonder if it has become a platform for young designers. Since Vetements, there have been more presentations by up-and-coming brands. The people who gathered at the collection venues for young and mid-career designers were more fashionable, and first of all, it was more real and interesting!




FH: I'm sure you also go to exhibitions. What do you think of exhibitions like Fashion World Tokyo, where you can see international brands without leaving Japan?


Shito:I think it's great that designers from all over the world come to Japan and can communicate with them. It would be difficult to attend all the overseas exhibitions, so I think there are benefits for buyers as well.


FH: Fashion World Tokyo also has an area where 100 emerging designers exhibit. What do you look for in an exhibition, Shito?


Shito:Of course, I think it's important to talk with the designer when it comes to creation. I think the designer knows best why they made a certain piece of clothing and what they're particular about, so it's wonderful to be able to hear that directly. They make it because they love it, so it's fun to be able to sense that passion.


FH: Exhibitions are a great opportunity.


Shito:That's true. But at the same time, they can also be very scary. People who have the ability to communicate are strong, but those who aren't good at speaking will get lost in the crowd. An exhibition is a place to present yourself, so I think future designers will need the ability to communicate with words. The days of judging something by looking at it alone are over. So, I hope you'll actively talk to the creators at the exhibition and communicate with them!


FH: Finally, what did you notice this season at the 2018-19 Fall/Winter Paris Collection or on the streets of Paris this time?


Shito:It was materials. PVC (polyvinyl chloride), which was proposed in the previous 2018 Spring/Summer collection, has really made its way off the runway this season. It's even being used in bags, hats, and shoes. I also think there's been a shift from pattern to color. Last season felt like the era of patterns, with stripes, checks, and combinations of patterns, but now we're in the era of bright colors like bright red, yellow, and bright blue, and I think colors have become stronger. What's more, instead of wearing all red like last season, more people are using color as an accent on bags, hats, shoes, etc. I think it's because people are tired of the constant pattern trend and are turning to color, but it's become more technical.



FH: So the use of color is the key! It reminds me of Shito's words, "It's not what you wear, but how you wear it." It seems like it could be a useful hint for a variety of fashion settings. Thank you.






Continue reading at Rei Shito's seminar!