This year March, at the opening reception of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week TOKYO (MBFWT) 2015-16 A/W, the world famous musician, MR. YOSHIKI, had declared the announcement of a full collection of his kimono brand, ‘YOSHIKIMONO’. October 17, six months since his declaration, as a special program of the MBFWT 2016 S/S, the “YOSHIKIMONO FIRST COLLECTION” was finally announced.

As soon as the doors were open, Shibuya Hikarie’s Hikarie Hall A, one of MBFWT’s official venues, was overflowing with guests, which included influential medias, buyers, both domestic and international, celebrities, etc., and specially invited fans. As the guests entered the hall and saw the crystal piano, symbolic of MR. YOSHIKI, placed in the middle of the runway, the expectation towards the show, rose to a max.

The “YOSHIKIMONO FIRST COLLECTION” show, opened with a powerful live performance of traditional Japanese drums. The first look was, a striking black kimono with eye-catching passionate red patterns, worn with studded high-heels and red net tights. The models hair was bundled in a loose knot, with long ornamental sticks, some seemingly 1 meter long, as hair decoration. All in all, an unconventional, novel presentation, that was not only unique, but suggestive of new possibilities and potentials of kimonos. This artistic and trendy hair & make-up, was done by MIZU, make-up director of Maybelline New York.
After 2 models walked the runway, MR. YOSHIKI himself appeared, wearing a traditional Japanese Noh mask, ‘Hannya’. With large cheers and applause, the venue burst with excitement.

With a live performance of MR. YOSHIKI’s piano and string section in the background, “YOSHIKIMONO” introduced a collection of 20 looks. At the end, a model wearing a deep red kimono climbed up on the crystal piano, making a bewitching performance. Such outstanding performances throughout the show, unique to “YOSHIKIMONO”, mesmerized the guests.
As is his music, the “YOSHIKIMONO FIRST COLLECTION”, underlined by MR. YOSHIKI’s concept of ‘fusion of tradition & innovation’, and overflowing with innovative and original creativity. And in the end, the venue was filled with an unending burst of applause.

After the show, surrounded by anxious cameras and interviewers, MR. YOSHIKI, as the designer of ‘YOSHIKIMONO’, took time to answer questions about the creative process, concept of the brand, direction of the show, etc., in both Japanese and English.

A creation born as a result of a powerful tagging up of MR. YOSHIKI’s strong wish to “introduce kimomos, one of Japan’s beautiful traditional cultures, to the world’, and SCOPE COCO Co., Ltd., one of Kyoto’s oldest and most prestigious kimono makers. Fashion Week is a stage at which the cutting-edge forefront of fashion is introduced, and “YOSHIKIMONO” has taken its first leap out to the world, through this stage.

“YOSHIKIMONO FIRST COLLECTION“