TOKYO (Reuters) – Rock met kimonos as Tokyo kicked off its fashion week with a dazzling runway show that put a modern twist on the traditional Japanese garment.
Models hit the runway in kimono-inspired outfits ranging from colorful shoulderless minidresses with tall boots to full-length animation-print kimonos with traditional “geta” clogs, as rock star-turned-designer Yoshiki played the piano.
Yoshiki, whose family once ran a kimono fabric store, launched his Yoshikimono brand about 10 years ago, aiming to fuse tradition and innovation to widen the garment’s appeal.
“I was wondering, how could I stimulate kimono culture, so I decided to combine rock-and-roll taste, or something punk rock, or even animation,” Yoshiki said after Monday’s event.
“It’s a challenge, but let’s see. Maybe 20 to 30 years ago I was trying to spread rock and roll in Japan … After 30 years rock is part of our life,” the co-founder of rock group X-Japan told reporters.
“So one of my…
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