OP Ed: 10 for Tokyo

In-Process by Hall Ohara Fall 2013/Image: C.Hope for Style Wylde

New York, London, Milan, and Paris are all just about  over, but one very important fashion week is still to come; Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo. In seasons past it has appeared that most American journalists and bloggers care only about what happens in New York, Milan, and Paris, and while these shows are definitely impactful (and thrilling to see in person) we here at Style Wylde think the Tokyo shows are the true 'ones to watch' on the global scene. 

So in honor of the the Tokyo shows we've come up with our  10 reasons why we have traveled to Tokyo for the past four seasons to cover the collections, and why we hope you'll check in with us daily starting next week to see what went down the runway during the Spring 2014 Tokyo shows:

1. Everybody's doing it. From Michael Kors to Marc Jacobs, to Karl Lagerfeld, the world's top designers have all begun to look towards Tokyo for inspiration. And whether it's opening a flag ship store along the city's famed Omotesando Boulevard, or attending the actual runway shows in secret (and not-so secretly taking ideas both from the designers and from the Street) it seems everyone in the industry knows Tokyo is where it's at.

Facetasm Fall 2013/Image:C.Hope for Style Wylde 

2. Menswear is better in Tokyo. At the risk of inciting the wrath of all those New York based menswear designers, I'm just gonna say it: Menswear in Japan is better.   The one thing I've been asked over and over again in the 5 years that Style Wylde has been in publication and covering Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York, is : What's new with Menswear? And sadly, for the US Market the answer is frequently: Not a whole lot. In Japan on the other hand huge innovation has been made both in fabrication and silhouettes for men, which makes the men's collections a thrill to watch.

3. The next generation is already showing in Tokyo. The organizers of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo, Japan Fashion Week Organization, list "To become a gateway for success for the world's designers" as an important objective in developing the Tokyo shows. This objective is achieved season after season as designers from all over the world including Japan, Mongolia, Germany, and Britain have chosen Tokyo as their launch pad in season's past. 

G.V.G.V. Fall 2013/Image:C.Hope for Style Wylde

4.You'll be wearing these looks soon. Especially here on the West Coast, the influence of Japanese design is becoming more and more omnipresent. And as mentioned above, with all the 'big' designers traveling to Tokyo for design inspiration you can bet the same looks you'll see in our coverage will be cropping up in your favorite stores in just a few seasons. Why not get a sneak peek at the future of fashion now?

Yashutoshi Ezumi Fall 2013/Image: C.Hope for Style Wylde5. You'll understand (and appreciate) those Uniqlo Capsule collections. Remember how exciting it was when DressedUndressed and G.V.G.V. did  capsules for Uniqlo?! No? Well, it was. These younger design houses brought their unique perspectives to the international retailer at a super affordable price. And unlike some of their western-counterparts, the Uniqlo capsules tend to be produced with quality fabrics and construction.

Whiz Limited Fall 2013/Image: C.Hope for Style Wylde

6. You'll be more prepared to shop, when you come to Japan. Have you heard? The Yen is down, (way down) compared to the  US dollar so right now is the BEST time to take that dream trip to Japan. Hotels, flights, and best of all CLOTHING is much more affordable for the US traveler than it's been in years. Got a craving for cutting edge Japanese denim? Check the brands and then get your ticket to fly across the 'other' pond.

7. The shows are actual shows. Understated, low-key, effortless, fashion is great on the day to day, but on the runway? BLAH. The trend of toned-down shows (low slung pony-tails and no makeup anyone?) that seems to dominate New York, does not have its death grip on the Tokyo shows. Instead, creativity rules the runway, where anything and everything is possible, and the presentation is always a true show.

8. You love COMME des GARÇONS. Can we pause a minute for snarky story telling? Ok, here goes. Once upon a time, while waiting for a show to begin in New York, a blogger seated next to me began gushing about his plans to attend the Paris shows. "French designers are just the best in the world, they've been at it the longest, they know what they are doing, take Comme des Garcons, I mean, he is just THE BEST thing out there." I paused a minute before I decided to just smile and turn away, because going into a long explanation about how despite the name sounding French the designer and founder (Rei Kawakubo is in fact Japanese), seemed exhausting and pointless. But this mistake always drives me crazy. I have nothing against French designers, I even like some of them. But I hate it when France is given credit for giving birth to Comme des Garcons, a label that was not only born in Japan, but also continues to work closely with young Japanese designers and shows its secondary labels such as Ganryu at the Tokyo shows.

 Alice Auaa Fall 2013/Image:C.Hope for Style Wylde

9. Gothic lolita, cosplay and all things Harajuku. It's colorful, creative, fun, and yes sometimes a little nuts. These style subcultures are both based on the Tokyo runways and serve as inspiration for the Tokyo collections. 

10. You love us, and you want to support our endeavors! Let's be honest, actually getting to Tokyo from the US is not the easiest thing to do, but for us it's a labor of love that we are thrilled to be able to do for you our readers!

For more images from the Fall 2013 Tokyo collections check out the Style Wylde Archives, and check back with us starting October 11 as we report live from Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo Spring 2014.