On April 22nd, Pigalle held an installation in Minami-Aoyama, Tokyo, showcasing a digest of its 2016-17 Fall/Winter collection. Designer Stephane Ashpool also visited Japan. Keiichiro Shibuya provided piano backing for the show, and archives from the brand's nine previous collections were also exhibited at the venue.

The event, which showcased the collection presented in Paris in January of this year in a presentation format, marked the brand's first collection unveiling in Japan. The actual products will be available for pre-sale at Pigalle Tokyo in Shibuya's Maruyamacho district from April 23rd.

The latest fashion cycle trend, where products appear on social media like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter simultaneously and are immediately available for purchase, marks the brand's first launch in Tokyo.

The collection, which began in 2010 on the streets of Paris with embroidery and hand-printed cotton, reflecting its roots, has steadily evolved into a fashion collection. Based on the theme of "eros," a symbol of male femininity, the brand clearly proposed a genderless approach, distinguishing itself from other men's brands through the details and colors of each item.

Befitting the brand, which won the Grand Prix at the 2015 ANDEM Fashion Award (French National Association for the Development of Fashion Arts), receiving a 250,000 euro prize and a year of creative support from Chanel, Stéphane himself appeared in the finale wearing a jacket featuring the P logo embroidered on the back by Maison Lesage, Chanel's couture embroidery company. Nearly all of the materials in the collection, including the rose object held by the model, were made in Paris, a tradition that continued the collection's appeal. This highlights the program for nurturing young designers, which functions as a cultural institution, working together with the public and private sectors.

Text: Tatsuya Noda