Fashion Snoops: Trade Shows

Rooms, now in its 16th edition, is the Tokyo tradeshow with a reputation for creativity, with brands going on to sell at the country's top department stores and select shops. Out of the 50+ ladies' apparel brands, the most stand-out exhibitors featured innovative, original textiles and an inventive use of volume and draping.

Key brands from Rooms displayed great technique in interesting surface textures as well as cut and sew looks. Jerseys and wovens took on unique shapes and effects with the use of twisting, overlays and subtle quilting. More from exhibitors below!

Talk about draping! Tokyo Labels Hisui and Alumina plus Argentina's Tramando, used a lot of eye-catching draping in their displays. Hisui, the most exciting of the bunch, displayed a collection that managed to merge urban and ethnic for a completely new and contemporary look. The dress was the centerpiece in most collections and Popu and Violet Bouquet offered fine examples in structured pieces with voluminous sleeves. From Taiwan, Tan-h-y presented pretty dresses in a combination of shiny and sheer silk while Yuwan showed dresses trimmed with webs and ropes. Finally, Advance, a textile manufacturer with a long history in Japan, presented its first original collection featuring experimental knit techniques.

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