Just two years after the destruction of the Fukushima Nuclear Power plant due to an offshore earthquake and resulting tsunami, Japan is once again rising from the ashes and reinventing itself as a fashion mecca.

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Tokyo opened today, with their official kickoff ceremonies held last night.

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The event, which runs through Saturday, March 26, will feature some of Japan’s best designers, artisans, and models, as well as designers from around the world.

The Runway schedule lists almost back-to-back shows throughout the entire week.

Sunday started with a “sayonara” show by Mastermind Japan, one of Tokyo’s most successful brands in the new millennium (Karl Lagerfeld is a longtime fan). After fifteen years on the scene, Mastermind is going on an indefinite hiatus, and its luxe skull-embellished leathers and furs will certainly be missed.

Monday marked the first full day of shows, and it proved that the cerebral, moody clothing forged by luminaries such as Yohji Yamamoto is still “in,” contrary to the stream of “kawaii” (or “cute”) Japanese fashion fads of today. Young talent Christian Dada showed an impressive Fall 2013 collection (left) that featured embroidered baroque patterns in gold and black, and pants made of quilted down material that created a blocky, flat silhouette. The shoes were not only outrageously tall but sprouted whole feathered birds made in collaboration with couture cobbler Masaya Kushino.

Dressedundressed’s black, white, and red collection was inspired by vampire B-movie The Hunger, and boasted sharp tailoring on everything from blazers to hoodies. Japan is home to some of the world’s most innovative textile mills, and Tokyo’s designers benefit from being able to work closely with them. Dressed has gone and produced a new wax-coating technique for cotton that makes the fabric look so lightweight, one might think it could float.

Another brand that utilizes Japan’s textiles is Mint Designs, which is famous for engineering “inside-out” jacquards printed with quirky patterns like cartoonish characters or charming phrases. The Fall collection introduced coats adorned with flocked patterns, which turned out to be the titles of past collections such as Happy Mistake. The day closed out with a dramatic show by gothic brand Alice Auaa. Telling the story of a girl who transforms into a spider, the mechanical crinolines and Lolita dresses forged from purple hair provided a delightful spectacle from start to finish. Same goes for the fans in the audience—they dressed to impress the dark side.

The fashion week held in Tokyo is the "Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week TOKYO (MBFWT)". It is hosted by the Japan Fashion Week Organization (JFW Organization) and held twice a year on March and October.

Japan's latest creations are showcased to the world from various locations in Tokyo centered at Shibuya Hikarie and Mercedes-Benz Connection in Roppongi.

Many designers are boycotting the show in favor of cheaper alternatives. While more than 280 designers are still participating in Fashion Week, many are large corporations rather than high fashion labels.

Among those snubbing the show are hot designers like Joy Cioci, Nary Manivong and Yoana Baraschi.

The cost of the putting on a show during Fashion Week costs a minimum of six figures, and in the millions for the largest brands.

The jam-packed schedule also causes conflicts with designers, who often scout out the same high-caliber models and stylists.

It's virtually impossible for the press to cover every show, making less expensive alternatives like YouTube or style.com videos a safer bet.

"There are so many ways to communicate fashion today," Tom Florio, a former publisher at Vogue, "You don't necessarily have to tell that story on the runway anymore."

Calling All Trending Cosmetics And Accessories Brands: We Want You!

 

Calling all trending cosmetics and accessories brands. Planet Fashion TV will be hosting an exclusive event at Milan Fashion Week from 6pm to 10pm on Saturday February 23rd at the exclusive Sheraton Diana Majestic, Viale Piave 42, 20129 Milano, Italy, for a night of fashion, cocktails, and fun. The HD TV show will have presentation displays of each brand and will feature them live on air. Brands interested in participating should contact Melissa at info@planetfashiontv.

About Planet Fashion TV:
Planet Fashion TV is an online news/video portal and series, beautifully shot in HD & can be seen in 8 countries .The show targets an international & culturally astute demographic. It’s one of the few western shows that currently airs in China. PFTV is known for its features on new brands, and for the hottest runways shows from around the world and every cutting edge trend. Planet Fashion TV has a history of successful fashion events globally. For the last 5 years Planet Fashion has done promotional events at Paris Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, Oslo Fashion Week, Miami Fashion week, The Cannes Film Festival and at the largest media event in the world, The London Olympics.
Contact: Tina (305) 793-1389 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

After New York Fashion Week took place, many new trends just in time for fall have begun to pop up. From gorgeous long draped gowns to baroque styled blouses, the biggest trends are making their way to stores nationwide. Here are the biggest fashion blow ups that have hit the run ways in New York City and Paris.

Draped Necklines

Formal gowns have made a giant development for 2013; a beautiful draped neck reminiscent of the 1920s and 30s. Long gown is the formally trending strapless prom dress and in comes a lovely short sleeved variant with bunched fabric at the neckline. Not only does it fit the body like a glove, it looks romantically classic with either a soft toned color hue or a lavish floral pattern. No doubt that these dresses will match with the already fashionable platform heel and a sophisticated wavy bun hairstyle.

Bright Whites

White has always been incorporated in fashion, but designers have brought the pale tone back into the forefront. This color or lack of is coming back steadily, ready for the holidays and the winter season in general. Fluffy white sweaters and long white skirts are a hot commodity now, especially when paired with an equally as white accessory such as boots, shoes, or even a hairpiece. Soft white signifies innocence and looks amazing with all hair and skin colors, so it’s no wonder it’s heating up the runway in full force.

Crimson Reds

Another popular color in clothing this season is vivid crimson red. This charming and mysterious color has not reached popularity since the 1990s, and is making a comeback in blouses, long silky skirts, and trench coat styled dresses. This beautiful rouge tinge has been mixed with loud striped patterns on the latest runways to give it a new and unique edge.

Loud Patterned Sweaters

Sweaters with decals and prints haven't seen the light in fashion for quite a while, so it’s about time they are featured once again. Warm and fuzzy loose sweaters are an upcoming trend that will surely be available everywhere, as well as 80s inspired prints and the rustic Fair Isle look. Popular colors include warm beige, deep navy, and chocolate brown.

Contrasted Collars

For a cute yet sensible look, contrasted collars are in and heavily upgraded. New trend blouses are usually a solid color such as white or cream with a bold black collar to even it out. These types of collars are every soft and rounded on the edges or sharp and slightly uneven. Sleeveless dresses with contrasted collars are also becoming increasingly popular, especially those with embellishments outlining the color. Although this trend popped up last year, it’s been remarkably well known after this year's fashion week displayed them. The latest fashion trends mix in a bit of old with the new. Each trend has a vintage trait that balances out with a contemporary flare. From the new color palettes, different styles of collars, and elegantly designed dresses, there is sure to be something for everyone this fashion season.

About the Author: Jessica Hamilton, with Cariloha, is an avid blogger that loves fashion, shopping and travelling. She enjoys finding ways to serve the community and help support a green eco-friendly lifestyle.

New York is an epicenter of fashion. Our team had a great time running around NY recently going to fashion shows and celebrity sighting. But the best part of all was the awesome behind the scenes moments, and just watching the spirit of fashion in NY. Even the people on the streets have a very distinctive fashion perspective. Check out these cool out-takes from our photographers Angie Lagou, and Sarah OOsteen during scenes at:

Dennis Basso, Alexander Wang, Limelight Fashion Week, Ryan Haber, Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Custo Barcelona, J Lindeberg, Rebecca Taylor, Jenny Packham in and around fashion week.

Photos by Angie Lagou and Sarah OOsteen / Planet Fashion TV

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One of the prettiest collections of this year's fashion weeks was Dennis Basso. For his Spring/Summer collection 2013, Dennis Basso brought back the iconic 1960's socialite. It was "Breakfast At Tiffany's" for the modern era, and we loved it. Basso said that his main inspiration came from the glamorous seaside resort of Deauville, France, where the finest families and high society gathered each spring and summer. Often called The Riviera of Paris, the 60’s were a special time at this fabled resort; when women always dressed for dinner.  The color palette of the collection reflected the sea and the night sky: blush, champagne, pearl, shades of blue and sheer black with gold metallic accents.

The hair was perfect too. Hair design was handled by John Barrett.

Photos by Angie Lagou

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Whether it was Lady Gaga`s show-stealing headgear, or Mary Katrantzou`s pencil dresses you recall from the 2012 London Fashion week, it was a memorable affair. British brands and designers were more prominent than ever, due partly to the continued interest around the Duchess of Cambridge`s promotion of home-grown labels. Here are a few of the highlights which give us an idea of what to expect from the British fashion industry over the coming seasons.

It seemed the future had arrived with Philip Treacey`s collection of gold-noted military jackets and flamboyant accessories, most famously worn by Gaga herself. Opening the show draped in a see-through cerise cape and balancing on white platform boots, the popstar went on to upstage the catwalk from where she was seated with the designer on the front row, sporting Treacy`s floral wreath hat.

Elsewhere, Stella McCartney`s Mayfair show was a more understated affair, but still showcasing the continued strength of the peplum trend and her own take on the elegant tailored suit for women. Scottish designer Louise Gray wowed with pompom details and a fluorescent palette, indulging in the artistic and surreal with more magnificent millinery in the form of tightly-wrapped, reflective hairpieces.

The European crowd impressed with Swedish label ACNE showing bold fonts, structured trouser legs and a restricted palette of uniform greys and pristine white. But it was the Brits who ruled: classic brands like Mulberry going for chic in fabulous furs and feminine silhouettes, whilst Burberry Prorsum created a snowstorm with their winter collection of military coats, pencil skirts and peplum trims.

For Henry Holland, the party was where it was at; organising a vibrant show in a grimy London car park with the tie-dye and rave culture of the nineties as inspiration. Metallics, brocade, jewelled accessories and even batik made an appearance in this texture and tone-rich event. Mary Katrantzou clashed colours and prints, ruffles and hard angles to create her signature zany style, as well as casting everyday items like typewriters and telephones as well as the humble pencil in starring roles.

The spring show of 2012 certainly established British design as being at the fashion forefront once more and with the New York and Milan Fashion weeks happening right now, it will be interesting to see how they compare. In terms of innovation and exciting young designers, Britain seems to have it covered and it`s easy to recreate the latest looks at Couture Candy, proving that even the most outlandish designer stylings can be wearable for the streets.

For the final show of New York Fashion Week, Ralph Lauren broke free from the pack and went down South America way for his Español-flavored spring collection. Jessica Alba, for one, was excited by it, sitting next to Olivia Wilde taking pictures and mouthing “so chic” to a consultant seated behind her. There was lots to be excited about, between the gold embroidered toreador pants, tooled leather jackets and the serape blanket wrap tops, not least of which were the cha-cha-cha accessories: colorful bead jewelry, stencil cut-out leather belts, python and lizard hobos, blanket stitch platform sandals. Not sure if he had Argentine Marxist revolutionaries on the brain, but the berets and the studded motorcycle mailbags lent a fab Che Guevara air.

Read the Full Story at New York Post

Boston Celtics future hall-of-famer Rajon Rondo took some time off from the court to do something a bit different. The point guard took his talents to GQ to intern during New York Fashion Week. He says its something hes always been interested in, and never really had a real job.

“I never really had a real job,” Rondo told NBC’s Craig Melvin on TODAY Wednesday. “I was actually in the GQ plaza working, packing bags. I actually wrote a blog, too. I just didn’t go in there and half-step it. I actually did some work. I slept pretty good those nights, too.”

While Rondo is known for his fiery demeanor on the court, fashion has always been a second love for him away from basketball. He is not the first athlete to pursue his love for fashion in an official capacity, either, as former NHL player Sean Avery interned for Vogue in 2008.

The Swedish clothing brand J Lindeberg previewed their latest collection at NY Fashion Week, an installation at Chelsea Piers Studios. Famed photographer Peter Lindbergh (No relation) was there to show his collaboration with a photo collection he shot of the brand.  A bunch of cute guys were In attendance including celebrity R&B singer Eric Benet.  Currently, J.Lindeberg is distributed in over 20 countries and available at flagship stores in New York, LA, Miami, Stockholm, Tokyo, and Hong Kong. J.Lindeberg's clothes are popular among golfers, worn by lots of PGA stars, but people really took notice when Brad Pitt wore the brand to the Golden Globes recently.

This collection was really fun. It was definitely a throw back to the 60's, which we saw a lot of at fashion week. This kind of reminded us of Ali Macgraw and Ryan O'neal in "Love Story".

Photos By Angie Lagou

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