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Japanese Brands SS 2016春夏の東京コレクション

Tsukasa Mikami 2016 SS. The anemone is mightier than the sword. グラフィック界からの風雲児のツカサミカミをご紹介

tsukasamikami 2016ss collection

 

先シーズン(2015aw)、ミーシャのお気に入りブランドリストに、あるブランドが加わった。グラフィカルでクリーンで今っぽくて、ミーシャの好みも兼ね備えたTSUKASA MIAKAMIの素敵なデザインに惹かれて、さっそく白黒のセットアップをオーダー。

そして2016ss、朱色が映える、少し和テイストの効いたコレクションを発表したツカサミカミ。今回もグラフィカルなプリントが目を引く。

彼のバックグラウンドを聞いて納得した。

デザイナー三上司さんは、グラフィックデザイナーの顔ももっている。グラフィックができるデザイナーは少なくないけれど、そもそも職場が違って、他面からファッション業に入るからこそ、なぜか新しさを感じる。パターン(シルエット)がシンプルだから?プリントははっきりしているから?…

 

Even though the fashion tides seem to change every hour, it still comes as a thrill when something totally new and exciting comes along. There’s a new favorite in my town, and his name is Tsukasa Mikami.

Last season, I was introduced to him by glancing at his website, and the beautiful yet simple geometric gradations were unlike anything else from that season. I bought one without hesitation.

For his newest collection, he joined the official Tokyo Fashion Week calendar and presented his second full collection which was a slight departure from the first, but still highly praise-worthy.

The graphics are the first thing you’ll notice. And that’s because Mikami is a graphic designer by day. Now, there are oodles of fashion designers who are also well adept at graphic design, so that’s nothing new. But why is it that Mikami’s designs stand out so much from the rest? Is it because of the minimalist silhouettes? Or is there something more here that he’s jsut doing right?

 

tsukasamikami 2016ss collection

 

個人的には、2015awのコレクションの方が好みだったけど、2016ssのインスタレーション会場へ足を運んだらたくさんの人が来ていて、その注目と期待の高さを目の当たりにした。

最新コレクションで印象的だった花のプリント。

ひとつは、キョウチクトウという花で、原爆の後、もうこの地に花は咲かないと言われていた広島に初めて咲いた花だそう。広島出身である三上さんの思いが込められた。

また、燃えるアネモネのプリント。”真実”が花言葉のアネモネで、”真実が燃えている”というメッセージを込め、現在の日本に思う事を伝えたかったという。

なかなかこういう重たい政治的なものをテーマに服を作るデザイナーは少ないけれど、続けていきたいと語る三上さんに、芯のあるブランドなのだなという印象を受けた。

もちろんそこにどんな意味を込めるか、もしくはなんの意味も持たせないか、それは作り手の自由。

また、それを見た人がどんな風に受け取るかも自由。そしてその捉え方はそのときの状況や時間と共に変わったりもする。

それが、機械には成し得ない、ファッションの、アートの、おもしろさだったりする。

Personally, I do admit I was more drawn to his AW 2015-16 collection than the newest 2016 one, perhaps because the geometric colors were just so strong. But still, seeing him suddenly thrown into the pit of all the other Tokyo Fashion Week brands-and still standing strong- gives me hope for his long success.

The story behind the designs is also strong; the first pattern that stands out is the floral one. This is the Oleander. When many thought that a flower would never bloom in Hiroshima after the Atomic Bomb again, this little bud broke through first. As Mikami himself is from Hiroshima, this particular graphic is very personal for him, as well as a “nudge” of optimism.

The next is an image of burning Anemones. In the “language of flowers”, a meaning for anemone is “truth” so Mikami is making a poilitical statement…about Japan. That’s bold!

And this is where in the Japanese text above,  we have to explain this away at being a part of art and a strength for a brand to have. In a passive society, this is a big step for a brand, and yet to do it so beautifully without force is certainly something that the Japanese artists do extremely well. Here’s to more bold graphics and bolder statements for Tsukasa Mikami from here on out.
tsukasamikami 2016ss collection

tsukasamikami 2016ss collection

tsukasamikami 2016ss collection

tsukasamikami 2016ss collection

tsukasamikami 2016ss collection

tsukasamikami 2016ss collection

tsukasamikami 2016ss collection

tsukasamikami 2016ss collection

 

2015aw collection

tsukasamikami 2015aw collection

tsukasamikami 2015aw collection

tsukasamikami 2015aw collection

tsukasamikami 2015aw collection

tsukasamikami 2015aw collection

tsukasamikami 2015aw collection

tsukasamikami 2015aw collection

tsukasamikami 2015aw collection

tsukasamikami 2015aw collection

tsukasamikami 2015aw collection

tsukasamikami 2015aw collection

tsukasamikami 2015aw collection

tsukasamikami 2015aw collection

tsukasamikami 2015aw collection

tsukasamikami 2015aw collection

tsukasamikami 2015aw collection

tsukasamikami 2015aw collection

tsukasamikami 2015aw collection

tsukasamikami 2015aw collection

tsukasamikami 2015aw collection

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