Reactionary chic
So far, Japanese fashion’s primary reaction to the strange times we find ourselves in has been one of practicality, with the exception of Kunihiko Morinaga’s latest collection for Anrealage. With its neon spiked headpieces and tented self-contained dresses, it was arguably a literal visualization of both the virus and our sense of self-imposed isolation. Almost every brand out there now is churning out facemasks in their own image, and seldom does a week go by without another brand launching a casual loungewear line. If you are in the market, last week it was Azul by Moussy with its The Home line.
Still, observers on foreign shores, and international journalists in particular, often ask for recommendations for Japanese fashion that challenges the status quo. Given how the increasingly divisive political climate in the West is frequently mirrored in fashion collections, this request is only natural. But there’s nothing in Japan quite as easy to parse as politicized slogans emblazoned over T-shirts, or calls for action explicitly woven into fabric.