Isabel Marant, the queen of French haute-casual wear, has finally opened her first shop in Japan, right off of Tokyo's Omotesando promenade.
When it comes to French style, chic and sleek uniforms of black usually come to mind. Parisian designer Marant's collections, however, are far funkier — a hip hodgepodge of color and form. Since she began her line 18 years ago, her edgy style has helped her rise to the top of many fashionistas' wish-lists.
When Marant visited Tokyo to oversee her store's opening, she talked about the changes she has witnessed in the apparel industry over the latter half of her career. "Back when I started in the '90s, it was easy to find financial backers because in the '80s anything with a brand-name tag sold like hotcakes," she said. "But I thought that was an odd way to work, and I wanted to promote craftsmanship instead. So I slowly built up my brand, while I saw friends blow through money on fashion shows and fizzle out."