Nippon Style: Japan's leading hat designer - Akio Hirata Akio Hirata's outstanding hat designs have earned him the appellation of "giant or Lemaître" in France, the global fashion hub. This 86-year-old veteran remains as passionate as ever in every field from headwear for the Imperial Family to the avant-garde, subtly combining the classical with the new and making many hats for the Paris and Tokyo collections. Other fashion designers, including Yohji Yamamoto, are known to love his work, too. We introduce the multifarious attractions of Hirata hats as revealed at a retrospective of his 70-year career and also report on how he produces his very latest item.
Tokyo Buzz: The latest on modeling in Japan The models are such an important part of fashion! Many, of course, are determined to parade on the runways but quite a few Japanese girls these days also want to model for the fashion magazines they read. What does it take to make your debut? We report from a model-training school and also the editorial office of a fashion magazine.
Catwalk Trends: 2012 S/S PARIS MEN'S Collection Part 2
Hot Picks! SHOP OPEN RUSH! We home in on the many new shops newly or soon to be opened in Tokyo's Aoyama and Omotesando districts.