The HAPPENING, a street fashion show collective known for its guerrilla-style fashion shows, held an installation of their 17SS collection at Shibuya Center Gai and SHIBUYA TSUTAYA on November 5th. The project, which first took place in 2014, marked its sixth season and sixth installment. A total of seven designers showcased their work. Three designers, KOSHIRO EBATA, MEG MIURA, and TAKUMA, continued from the previous season. Four designers, recommended by select shops dog and XANADU, participated for the first time: VANESSA NAOMI, QUALWIN, TENDER PERSON, and mask designer KOTARO SAKAZUME. Each designer presented two to six pieces, for a total of 23 pieces. This project, the first street fashion show in Shibuya Center Street, was fully supported by the Shibuya Center Shopping District Promotion Association, Shibuya Tourism Association, and SHIBUYA TSUTAYA. TSUTAYA, which aims to incubate fashion and promote culture from Shibuya in preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, led the project, obtaining permission from the police to hold a fashion show in Center Street, which had previously been denied permission. The show kicked off at 4:00 PM at the TSUTAYA store in front of the Shibuya Scramble Crossing. Models and dancers performed along Center Street, protected by security guards, for approximately 80 meters. An installation then took place in the book section and cafe on the 6th and 7th floors of the TSUTAYA store. The collection began with Vanessa Naomi's costumes, which she described as a "respect for Kansai Yamamoto," creating a fusion of kimonos, obi, and other materials. KOSHIRO EBATA explored new ways of expressing denim through architectural silhouettes, soft curves, and photo prints; MEGMIURA created a couture line using African tribal motifs in three dimensions; TAKUMA combined DIY and fashion using plastic parts from drainage pipes; QUALWIN used lace and metallic materials for a futuristic look using classic dress techniques; and TENDER PERSON combined Tokyo-style street fashion and high fashion in a cut-up style. While the presentation was consistent throughout the event, each artist presented their alternative works in collaboration with ceramic masks.
The previous event was held in the concourse and carriages of the Ginza Line subway, while this time it was held in Shibuya Center-gai, Japan's busiest shopping district, truly remaining true to their original intention of being unexpected. However, both events were held in public places, and even though they were guerrilla, they required permission from the government, which meant that there were many restrictions. "It was difficult to use music this time, so we couldn't make it happen," said Kyoko Fushimi, the stylist and project leader. In September of this year, he was invited to the Shanghai Museum of Modern Art (McaM) to perform his AW16 collection with a Chinese performance group, and his activities are beginning to gain recognition overseas. However, this will be his final street guerrilla performance.
"I started doing street shows as a way for young designers to present their shows in public spaces without spending money, but recently, street shows have become more common, and I believe that the way of expression needs to change," says Fushimi. This project, which was originally launched to disrupt the incubation system for young designers in Japan's fashion industry, has now been in its third year. This season, guest designer KOCHE from Paris held a street show in Harajuku as part of the official schedule of AFWT (Amazon Fashion Week Tokyo), organized by JFW (Japan Fashion Week Organization).
The project, which has been inspiring through its management that quickly captured social trends, such as hosting a crowdfunded show, is now reaching a new stage.
Text: Tatsuya Noda
