Rakuten Fashion Week TOKYO (Rakuten FWT) 2025 A/W (organized by Japan Fashion Week Organization (JFWO)) entered its fifth day today. Here is a report on the highlights of the 5th day, including brands that presented the night before.

• Brands that presented on Thursday 3/20 –

BASICKS (19:00～) at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium

Focusing on basic designs and clothing that gets buried in our daily lives, without us noticing, and adding a little twist, we shed a new light on basics by adding a little twist to them. This season’s theme was “CMYK2020”, which is a way of expressing color. It shows how various colors are in fact various elements mixed together to form something else. The release shown at the venue concluded with the words “We want to unlimitedness of fashion”.
Shoulder straps were doubled or cut off halfway. Jerseys were finished elegantly using velour to slightly puff out the shoulders.

Shirts that could be worn from the front by threading a string through the back of the collar, jeans that have pockets and patches in the front and back, and other familiar yet new clothes. If you passed someone wearing them on the street, you’d surely do a double take. Such small changes made for a big impact.
Many collaborations were also featured, such as a New Era cap with “LA” embroidered in the heart mark that symbolizes BASICKS, a stand collar Pendleton shirt, and a dark red jersey and dress from Reebok, which was the last item in the show.
The show was accompanied by a live orchestra playing music by Sigur Rós, just as it was when designer Mr. Morikawa first took the runway 15 years ago. This was Mr. Morikawa’s second brand runway following HUMMEL 00, which was held on the second day of the Fashion Week.

YOUJIYOUNG (20:30～) TODA Hall & Conference Tokyo Hall B

YOUJIYOUNG is a brand started in Korea in 2002 and has since participated in both Seoul Fashion Week and Shanghai Fashion Week. The theme for this season was “Onko Chishin,” an expression meaning “to learn from the past.” It expresses the brand’s desire to create something new while incorporating the old.
The runway started with the models’ bewitching dance. Most of the looks were in gray and black, with bold ruffles, ribbons, and feathers, but with a calm and mature elegance. A number of senior Korean models were also featured, offering a style that transcended age.

HATRA (21:00～) TODA Hall & Conference Tokyo, Hall A

HATRA, winner of the TOKYO FASHION AWARD 2025, held its first runway as a brand. The show was held at the official venue for the second half of this season, TODA Hall & Conference Tokyo, Hall A.
The theme was “WALKER,” a collection created around the idea of clothes physically or semantically shaking. The material of the dresses was so sheer, it looked as if the prints were placed directly on the skin, and as the models moved the material constantly changed its expression.
This discontinuous change, which designer Keisuke Nagami calls “blinking,” can refer to the relationship between the generative AI that has become the brand’s signature and fashion. There is no end or right answer forever, and it moves forward and evolves only through dialogue. Fashion design from the perspective of generative AI, or vice versa.
By acquiring both perspectives, he says he has encountered fashion design anew.
When the show ended and the venue went dark, the audience remained seated for a long time filled with long applause and cheers. A journalist who has been covering HATRA for many years was deeply moved by the audience, saying, “Maybe the times have finally caught up with HATRA.”

Brands that presented today, Friday 3/21 –

WIZZARD (11:00～) Online presentation

With the concept of “RE-MIXING,” WIZZARD has been developing reconstructed items based on the techniques of layering and docking. This season, under the theme of “Unforgettable Feeling,” WIZZARD focused on “things that remain in your memory” and “things that should be preserved,” expressing the keyword “afterimage” through the collection. The accumulated memories are expressed in the wrinkles and fringe details of the clothes, and the graphics created in collaboration with artist Kan Togashi are also noteworthy.

©courtesy of brand

HIDESIGN (12:00～) SYNERGYCA

©courtesy of brand

HIDESIGN gave a presentation at the SYNERGYCA Co-Creation Lounge located at the headquarters of Sumitomo Chemical. Chief designer Hideo Yoshii continued the brand’s unique style this season, using models to explain the actual functions of the products. Asa continuation of the “blue collar” theme from last season, the brand proposed a wide variety of functional wear to protect the bodies of manual laborers working in harsh environments. Four genres of clothing were presented: air-conditioned clothing with smaller, lighter,
and quieter fans than conventional ones, making it easier to use in town; pants with a three-dimensional silhouette that does not put strain on the fabric around the knees when walking; temperature-regulating clothing that maintains a comfortable temperature of 25 to 35 degrees Celsius using fibers made with the temperature-regulating resin Conformer® developed by Sumitomo Chemical; and clothing with a built-in washable and removable battery-powered heat sheet. As the global environment is expected to become increasingly harsh in the future, HIDESIGN will continue to propose comfort wear for mankind by crossing over its long-cultivated knowledge of workwear with science and IT technology.

TELMA (13:30～) TODA Hall & Conference Tokyo Hall B

TELMA, winner of the JFW NEXT BRAND AWARD 2025, held its second show. In stark contrast to the first show, which was full of the brand’s signature intricate and beautiful textiles and colors, the show started with a group of heavy black and silver looks. As if the night was deepening and dawn was approaching, colors such as gray, silver, and lavender spread. Symbolically shining throughout the collection were various star patterns expressed in prints and embroidery. Various textiles evoked the unique thrill felt on the way home from work in Tokyo’s night streets, such as a shop window shining brightly even though there are no passersby.
The tiger-like animal-patterned lace was made in collaboration with a factory in Osaka that is the only manufacturer of river lace in Japan.
A fateful encounter led to the pair collaborating again at the factory where they worked during their student days in Antwerp. The shooting star-like lace that matched the fuchsia pink jacket was a textile that symbolizes this season and was created through multiple efforts in collaboration with the Kiryu lace factory.
There’s no doubt TELMA is a rising star in the Tokyo fashion scene.
In an interview after the runway, they said, “We want to convey Japan’s rich sensibility and wonderful technology to the world in our own way.” Designer Nakajima’s eyes seemed to sparkle even more when he spoke passionately about manufacturing.

RIV NOBUHIKO (14:00～) TODA Hall & Conference Tokyo Hall A

RIV NOBUHIKO, winner of the TOKYO FASHION AWARD 2025, held its first runway show as a brand. RIV NOBUHIKO is a brand created by Nobuhiko Kohama and River Garam Jang. Both have experience in major fashion houses, and the brand is based on warm, couture-like manufacturing. The theme of this season was “LEE,” River’s mother’s surname.
Using her as a muse, the brand depicted the dual nature of strength and delicacy in modern women. When he was young, his mother seemed like a strong woman, but as he approached her age, he realized that “maybe she wasn’t as
mature as he thought. She was still delicate and girlish.” The brand’s signature origami-like flower motif had a ribbon-like stem that swayed gently with every step.
Another iconic item, beaded embroidery, was applied to pinch a striped shirt tightly, creating a subtle accent to a casual outfit.
These handicrafts were made by people who are no longer able to work outside due to child-rearing or elderly care responsibilities.
The brand provides a system where people can participate in manufacturing at their own pace, with a guidebook detailing sewing methods and procedures and a training kit containing materials.
Approximately 20 people work remotely in Japan and Korea.
The show ended with a sheer dress with bag handles, which was inspired by the image of a strong-willed adult woman. Finally, the two designers ran down the runway with bouquets of flowers. When they handed them to their mother, the inspiration for the collection, tears were shining in her eyes.

MSML (15:30～) Image Studio 109 Yotsuya Studio

©courtesy of brand

MSML is a unique brand whose designers are a vocalist, a bassist, and a drummer. The brand name comes from the first letter of the slogan “MUSIC SAVED MY LIFE.” The theme for this season was “DREAMIN’.” The brand expressed the concept of mutual understanding based on the opposing thoughts of “the overwhelming reality of everyday life that tears dreams apart” and “dreams that can even cover up the overwhelming reality of everyday life”. On the runway, many items reminiscent of MSML’s musical roots, such as border knitwear and ska-jeans with a boom box on the back, appeared on the runway. Finally, to close out the show the three designers overwhelmed the audience with an explosive live performance.

Chika Kisada (17:30～) Garden Shinkiba Factory

©courtesy of brand

The venue was illuminated by bright red lights, giving the audience a sense of Chika Kisada’s unprecedented atmosphere even before the start of the event. The models appeared on stage to an agitated beat, walking quickly as if driven by emotion. Whether it was the rain or sweat, their hair and makeup, wet from head to neckline, seemed to tell the story of the impulse within them.
Chika Kisada incorporated contradictory elements into this season’s creations. Sporty materials were hidden under graceful tulle dresses, while soft knits were raised up and bumped up by the support of
tulle.
The “framed” dresses and bustiers that had appeared as iconic looks in the collection over the past few seasons had evolved into wearable items such as bras and waist wraps.
The popular tulle bag was joined by a new one that included a tulle shoulder strap. Classic items such as washed pink denim and layered tulle shirts also appeared this season.
The girls who dedicated their hearts to ballet and loved dancing stepped onto the dance floor filled with sound and light. In their hearts they held the image of the Barbie doll they had once danced with long ago, who could become anything they wanted by changing their outfits. “Dance wherever you want, in whatever outfit you like.” That was the message we received from the girls, dressed freely.

Digital initiatives with official media partner Meta continuing this season

In cooperation with Meta, who became an official media partner last season, we are once again carrying out collaboration projects this season between creators and brands with a strong affinity for fashion.
Dancer/choreographer “BOXER” (@boxerdancedancedance) visited tokio, who presented on the third day, and created a dance reel video to accompany the live performance shown at the venue. This was posted in collaboration with the Rakuten FWT official Instagram account. Several other brands are also participating, and more will be posted in due course. Be sure to check out our official Instagram account for more.

performance BOXER
MUSIC by SHIGEKIMARUYAMA & the LAMPO
Mixed and Mastered by SHIGEKIMARUYAMA

* All photos with some exception are property of ©JFWO.