Maybe the abundance of "safe" fashion on the runways at the 2010 Autumn/Winter Japan Fashion Week in Tokyo last month was the designers' way of spinning themselves a taffeta and jersey-cotton cocoon from which they hope to emerge next season with their businesses and egos left intact.
While there were some trends that popped up — such as copious amounts of fur, and bright color palettes more akin to blossoming spring than the dead of winter — this slew of shows was more about brands solidifying their identities in the market, rather than pushing boundaries or cavorting with fantastical trends.
Mintdesigns focused on their forte, which is textile design with giant graphics inspired by European half-timbered houses, all executed in jersey, flocked velvet and a metallic jacquard turned inside-out. The collection was titled "New Hope," and it seems to only make sense when the state of the market is taken into context.