What exactly is Tokyo fashion? Is it a pastiche of color and gobs of shapes so outrageous it's like we're being punked? Or is it the modern, conservative look that is an actual mainstay on the streets?
That was the million-dollar question again at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Tokyo fall/winter 2012 shows — especially regarding the women's collections that seemed to eschew any kind of common denominator.
Let's get down to it: If there is a happy medium to be found, it will be at GVGV. Designer Mug knows how to create incredibly trendy collections that sell like hot cakes among the more fashion-conscious Japanese women. This time she had all of the coming season's anchors checked: paisley patterns, glitter — and '70s-style leisure suits in jewel-toned jacquard. The mannish overtones on models who exuded pomp and swag were a welcome contrast to the girly-girly look popular in mainstream apparel today.