Kimono with attitude at Japan Fashion Week

Kimono with attitude at Japan Fashion Week

AFP Relax News - The traditionally modest and freedom-inhibiting kimono is getting a new lease on life at Japan Fashion Week, with an edge of defiance and seductiveness.
Historically a garment whose multiple layers and tight wrapping have been viewed by some as restricting a woman's mobility and keeping her subservient to men, Jotaro Saito's kimono collection betrays expectations.
The style in his "Futurism" 2012-2013 autumn/winter collection remains graceful and true to form, but it is definitely not modest.
"Jotaro's kimono treads the line between the traditional style and the frisson of the entertainment quarter," said Tokiko Someya, 60, after the show. "That's what makes his kimonos so attractive."
A kimono-clad vocalist sang to pounding techno as models with spiked hair strutted down the runway at Wednesday's show, premiering Saito's chic and modern designs, a highlight of the twice-annual event featuring a range of designers that wraps up this weekend.
Models struck attitude-filled poses and flaunted the lines of their kimono, including an accentuated knot on their back.