Somarta Tokyo Fashion Week S/S 2013
When Lady gaga stepped out onto the stage in 2010 wearing a crystal-laden graphic cat-suit and heel-less wedges that would make any shoe fanatic such as myself do a double take, the world was dying to know who she was wearing. Tamae Hirokawa, the designer behind these embroidered wonders of the fashion world, has since then taken her already acclaimed brand, Somarta to new levels, breaking boundaries with each show she sends down the runway. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Somarta is yet again one of the highlights of Tokyo Fashion Week. For SS2013 Hirokawa takes the viewer on a journey through a secret, art nouveao garden throughout which the designer’s signature textured tights ground each look. Although the collection strayed away from the multi-layered crystal embroidery of the cat-suit era, there was definitely no lack in sparkle, opulence, or luxury.
Hirokawa first established herself as a force in the fashion world when she left Issey Miyake Co. to launch her own design firm, Soma Designs in 2006. She then stepped onto her own runway in 2007 with a Spring/Summer collection that landed her the Newcomer’s Prize at Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix. Year after year, Somarta shows up with the latest in textile technology combined with Tamae Hirokawa’s fashion-forward vision. This year, the Somarta SS2013 show at Tokyo Fashion week displays a mature body of work exemplary of the brand’s continuing growth.
Modeling a whimsical, embroidered jacket, an ultra-feminine pearl necklace, and a waist-synching belt, the first of 37 lovely looks makes its way down the minimal runway. A plethora of variations on the shift and baby-doll dresses unify the collection, but Tamae Hirokawa’s flawless attention to detail sustains our interest as unique patterns and textures capture the eye. A panel of art nouveao embroidery in ivory enhances a silk shift in eggshell blue while a structured, neckpiece of white silk leaves juxtaposes the ultra-fem, simple shape completing the look. And just when we thought the lace trend was on its way out, Hirokawa glorifies the timelessness of its texture and beauty through delicate shorts layered under graphic silk blouses and structured jackets. As the looks develop out of soft pastels and embroidered Capri pants into deep, royal blues, mossy greens, and boldly ornate patterns, the collection takes an imaginative twist into a deeper land of botanical fantasy. Nymph-like silk robes are laden with nouveao imagery, which continues down into the ever-uniquely textured trademark tights. Everything in the collection seemed to breathe with a contemporary yet regal airiness, a theme which came to life in one mesmerizing look created with shimmering strips of electric blue silk chiffon.
Tamae Hirokawa maintains a unique presence in the world of Japanese fashion as her work is conceptually and thematically driven. There is a definite narrative that accompanies the models down the runway at each of her shows. Like Issey Miyake, Hirokawa is known for using the advanced textile technology Japan has to offer, and while this current collection is no exception to the rule, the designer’s usual avant-garde presentation is somewhat subdued in a timeless fairytale.
