Today marked the second day of the 2026 S/S season for Rakuten Fashion Week TOKYO (Rakuten FWT) (organized by the Japan Fashion Week Organization (JFWO)).

Brands that presented on the first day, Monday, September 1st –
ANCELLM (from 8:30 PM) Shinjuku Sumitomo Building Triangle Square

ANCELLM crafts clothing with integrity adhering to the concept of “proposing a different perspective on aging.” The brand held its first show in the fifth year since its founding. “We wanted to express our intention to reach out to the world,” said designer Kazuya Yamachika. The single, straight runway, set in the Shinjuku Sumitomo Building’s Triangle Plaza, seemed to reflect this stance. The width of the runway was made extremely narrow so that the audience could see the texture of the materials up-close.

The brand, based in Kojima, Okayama, is characterized by its unique materials and processing techniques, which are created in collaboration with artisans. The pieces have the worn-in feel of vintage clothing and are the result of ANCELLM’s unique approach of aging clothing through craftsmanship. A technique that can give an initial impression of the styling seeming to incorporate vintage clothing.

This season, the designer achieved a new depth by incorporating more colors than usual. With the objective of it being a show in mind, the styling was focused on the overall flow and mood, as if creating a gradation. The faded khaki accentuated the worn texture of the shirts and jackets, and the grey of the knitwear and the brown of the leather appeared to be extensions of the same material despite their distinct shades. It was as if they represent the unique color that emerges through the aging process when you cherish and wear a single piece over time.

ANCELLM’s approach to craftsmanship hinges on shifting perspectives: applying denim-like treatments to other materials, and experimenting with processes once considered taboo for leather.

The unique expression achieved through repeated trial and error among young creators seems to have earned solid support from consumers. Numerous fans who had purchased items rushed to the venue, their eyes fixed intently, as if determined not to miss a single moment. In designer Yamachika’s words, “It was fun,” and that very scene seemed to speak volumes about the show’s reception.

*Partnership Show
Bench Design Awards: Philippine Fashion Now (12:00 PM)
Shibuya Hikarie, Hikarie Hall, Hall A

A show was held featuring three winners of the Bench Design Award 2025, a competition aimed at nurturing Filipino designers.

STEPHVERANO creates clothes with a sculptural perspective, incorporating eye-catching accents like swim rings and fishing gear into three-dimensional forms using hand-sewn quilting and other techniques. nadalē, known for their complex cuts and intricate patterns, captured the concept of “inner fluctuations” with a work-in-progress style. Peach.Garde, incorporated the theme of “seaside escape” and presented a pop and refreshing streetwear with elaborate and eye-catching jellyfish motifs.

Peach.Garde

*Partnership Show
Global Fashion Collective (1:00 PM – 3:30 PM)
Shibuya Hikarie, Hikarie Hall, Hall B

Global Fashion Collective is an international runway platform that brings together up-and-coming designers. This time, nine domestic and international brands held shows in two parts.

The first part featured the sporty and classic ALL FOR YOU, followed by TANG TSUNG CHIEN, which captivated with its girly worldview created through patchwork. Zero Waste Fashion Story Wear then took the stage exhibiting their clothing made from upcycled denim, tweed, and other materials.

Zero Waste Fashion Story Wear

Lastly came N O N A M E, known for its eccentric graphics, and WooLeeX, who made a strong impression with their use of hard pearls and bijoux.

The second part featured A-JANE, who created a fetishistic look in black and white, CHARINYEH, who offered a natural “kawaii” look, S A L I M, who had a gothic feel, and Ayaka Oshita, who expressed a classic yet somewhat decadent mood.

HUMMEL 00 (From 5:00 PM)
Starrise Tower Studio Earth

Danish sports brand HUMMEL 00 chose to present their work through an installation of video and clothing. This marks the second season since Masanori Morikawa took over as creative director, and this time the brand focused on the structure of the human body following the theme of “Human Anatomy.” While maintaining the visual code of sportswear that symbolizes “healthiness,” the brand took an anatomical approach that harbored a “grotesque” quality, combining opposing elements to attempt to enter inviolable territory.

The tape on the track jacket evoked human joints, with the silhouette of a bent knee retained in the shape of the pants. The logo, an essential feature of sports brands, was deliberately hidden rather than prominently displayed, highlighting the attention to the invisible.

The video showed a man dancing freely in the middle of the city, with the seemingly chaotic movements of eyeballs, cells, blood, and more. The exhibition conveyed the mystique of the human body, full of invisible elements. The mystique extended into the space with a hanging mummy-like torso wrapped in thread in the middle of the venue. The space was designed around the keyword “astral projection,” the separation of physicality and spirituality, as its theme.

©︎HUMMEL 00

HARUNOBUMURATA (From 7:00 PM)
Telecom Center

“I relaxed more than usual and created an image of a woman from a vague place,” said designer Harunobu Murata. Even among Tokyo brands, the brand is rare in that it continues to create works centered on luxury and elegance. While art, architecture, and real women are usually sources of inspiration for its collections, this time the starting point was the feeling one gets when exposed to the grandeur of nature, and contemplations on our relationship with it as city dwellers.

A smoke device was set up in the middle of the circular venue, gushing forth like a waterfall while the women walked slowly around it, following a path made of light.

A certain clothing item was made from 50 layers of the world’s thinnest organza, each piece being handcrafted to create a gradation. It was a quietly beautiful piece, with a shimmering glow and depth of color that changed depending on the angle you looked at it from. Surprisingly, even the brand’s first denim item embodied the elegance that is characteristic of Harunobu Murata, featuring smocking that took more than 20 hours, and wash-treatment to the fabric to produce a distinct look.

The sparkling silver thread skirt, created in collaboration with Shokuraku Asano, a long-established weaver from Kyoto, captured the unique scene of flowing water.

In order to thrive globally, Harunobu Murata says he wanted to express the beauty of Japan in an indirect way. This not only refers to the delicacy and skill of handcrafted items, but also to a spirituality that evokes thoughts of the changing seasons. This sensibility was reflected in the pale color palette of pale pinks, blues, and mint greens.

Having the composure to perceive things that cannot be reproduced as “beautiful in the present moment,” this is the image of the woman portrayed this season, and it is one form of Harunobu Murata’s concept of “Luxury of Silence.”

*With some exceptions, all photos are taken by ©JFWO.