Japanese fashion designer Satomi Takakura, founder of the Satomi el beso label, presented a mesmerizing collection inspired by a folktale of her home country on the catwalk of London Fashion Week ss26.
[Photo credits: VIVZ World Fashion Week / Arun Nevader]
Her creations were among the greatest surprises of this season, offering magical moments of awe and admiration to those lucky to attend the VIVZ World showcase at St John’s Hyde Park on the last day of London Fashion Week, September 22.
Famous for her high profile collaborations in Japan, which include commissions for pop stars, TV and film, as well as sports events such as the Paralympic Games, this was Satomi’s first runway show in the British capital.
The collection, launched under the title Dragon Palace of the Indian Ocean, blended Japanese folklore with futuristic fashion, and visionary nail art by nail designer Nobu.
JAPANESE FOLKTALE REVIVED INSIDE REPURPOSED LONDON CHURCH
Satomi drew inspiration for her avant-garde collection from the tragic folktale of Urashima Taro, a fisherman who rescued a sea turtle from a group of kids, only to be lured to an underwater palace where the sea turtle becomes an enchanted princess.
As the princess keeps him with her for what he thinks is three days, 300 years pass in human time, thus when he returns to his village none of his loved ones is alive.
Struck with sorrow, Urashima Taro foolishly opens a small magic talisman he was carrying, which the princess had warned him never to do, and in a moment his old age catches up with him and he dies, unable to return to the Dragon Palace.
A captivating soundtrack created by famous Japanese music producer Kenta Matsukuma for the show, accentuated the emotions of the folktale of Urashima Taro, bringing its message close to the heart of the audience.
The majestic venue of St John’s Hyde Park, with its gothic arches, high ceilings and stained glass windows, amplified the other-worldly ambience and immersed the viewers in an illusive time and space travel to the enchanted palace.
FASHION FOR OCEAN SUSTAINABILITY
The folktale of Urashima Taro was chosen by Satomi with the aim to carry a message about ocean sustainability to the world.
An advocate for reducing fashion waste, Satomi is hoping to raise awareness on marine pollution and ocean-related environmental issues, so that “beautiful Dragon Palaces can exist in every ocean of the world” and that the next generations can live in harmony with nature.
In her collection, Satomi masterfully incarnated the creatures of the folktale of Urashima Taro with each runway look – the algae, the sea urchin, the seaweed, the seahorse, the Turtle Queen – with the aim to express their beauty and mystery.
Textures reminiscent of sea turtles’ shells and scales were present on most pieces of the collection, while sunglasses by the established Japanese brand MonkeyFlip accessorized the first four looks.
Also featured were Satomi’s drawstring handbags in silver and two different shades of blue.
CHARISMATIC MODEL-PERFORMERS GAIN ENTHUSIASTIC APPLAUSE
As the show approached its finale, the last two looks of Satomi’s Dragon Palace collection gained a most enthusiastic applause, showcased by two charismatic model-performers renowned not only for their talent in modelling but also for their strong personalities.
Elton Ilirjani, Albania’s first openly gay model and global LGBTQ+ activist, delivered an utterly theatrical runway performance as Queen of the Sea just before Japanese super model Hii closed the collection looking statuesque in her evocative stroll on the catwalk.
Her sculptural dress, Carousel, adorned with pendula made of miniature rocking horses, suggested an enthralling allegory on time, space, and eternity.
