By Caroline Josephine

On a blustery summer day, girls from all over Japan gathered at the Saitama Super Arena for the 2011 A/W Tokyo Girls Collection fashion show. Everyone hoped to catch a glimpse of the new styles and trends while shopping on their cellphones or in the Smile Park.
In this post-earthquake Japan, everyone is trying to find a reason to smile, and Tokyo Girls Collection embraced this feeling with SMILE FOR [     ] as its slogan.
Outside the main stage, Smile Park was set up with food vendors, makeup counters and some clothing booths where it was possible to get a closer look at the signature pieces appearing on stage. One of the main attractions was the MURUA booth, where Momoko Ogihara (MURUA’s producer) greeted fans.
Inside, the main stage was outlined with bright lights, and the floor was filled with cheering girls. Spectators filled the stands, and models marched down the runway. Popular brands H&M, American Apparel and BEAMS graced the stage. But the Japanese brands stole the show.

MURUA, celebrating its fifth anniversary, made the biggest impact. This past season, MURUA has been making major strides in Tokyo as well. Showing off a new take on the popular mode style, which is currently one of the most prominent styles among Shibuya gals, MURUA has been running with the concept of “retro modern coquettish girl,” which features color blocking and shows off modern streetwear with a playful, feminine look. MURUA takes this and throws pearls on it — lots of pearls in the form of collar necklaces. This is currently a huge trend in Japanese fashion, and MURUA is one of the biggest forces behind it. The pop color appearing in the MURUA A/W line is drawing the biggest crowds.

MURUA steals the stage with pop colors.
Model : Lena Fujii & Kiko Mizuhara

Another big trend hitting the streets of Tokyo was seen in the OZOC show. Featuring a more masculine look, OZOC showcases the popular “handsome woman” style. After a summer of girly retro, it appears that fashion is heading toward a rougher, more daring style. OZOC does it right, mixing  the leftover summer retro-classic lady trend with masculine prints, sharp blazers and damaged denim. Animal print ties it all together, allowing for a more dynamic mix between the feminine and masculine.

When most people envision a fashion show, they don’t visualize accessible, wearable clothes. Many brands showcase pieces that don’t show up on the rack for months. And when they do, the price tags are huge and the clothes aren’t always everyday wear. This is not the case for Tokyo Girls Collection. One of the most appealing aspects of the collection is that the clothes are accessible and easy to wear. Tokyo Girls Collection makes it possible to log into the shopping service via your cellphone and order the pieces you want while watching the show. The shipping is fast and prices are fairly low. This is unique to Tokyo Girls Collection and really pulls in the crowd.

A perfect example of wearable clothes could be seen in the Rirandture show. Girls just want to have fun, and Rirandture makes it possible. Playing with the retro-classic look, which has been trending for the past year, Rirandture keeps it simple and wearable. The overall look of this brand embraces the casual elegance that the retro-girly trend has brought us. Mixing in the season’s pop colors with classic cardigans, blazers and sheath dresses, this style can be worn by anyone and mixed with anything. It was nice to see such a smooth transition from summer into fall through this brand.

Rirandture - Girls just wanna have fashion.
Model: Seira Kagami, Leyna Kagami & Mayuko Arisue

Another brand that just wants to have fun is one spo. Making a bold statement with its season concept of “Russian Marching Band,” one spo shows off a sexy, sporty look. While some consider one spo to have too much of a costume feel to it, the brand does a great job of embracing the strong patterns and colors, mixing the pieces into wearable street fashion. One spo wants to make a statement, and there is no subtly about what they are doing. Models literally marched down the runway. The mixture of plaid, black leather and white fur gives a twist to the always popular retro-European style. As the French-girl trend of last season fades with summer, this Russian Marching Band look will surely catch the eye of Tokyo girls and flourish into the fall with it’s bold look.

one spo - Marching by with style.
Model: Mikako Ishii & Anna Tsuchiya

While this season’s Tokyo Girls Collection featured lots of retro colors and 60s inspired pieces, it did not have an overall uniting trend. However, it did a good job of showcasing many different styles and trends, allowing girls more of a selection. With many great brands to shop from, anyone can create their own perfect, wearable Tokyo look. Let’s SMILE FOR [tomorrow’s style].