Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on October 2009

Photo by Kevin Mcgue

When Hiroko Koshino speaks, people pay attention. And the veteran designer wasn’t at a loss for words when she noted the increasing prominence of young Japanese names on the global fashion stage. “There are young people working who can not only create, but can back up their skills with business knowledge,” she said. “They are able to design not only for their own age group, but for any generation.” At the forefront of this new generation is Aguri Sagimori. The Osaka native recently completed her fourth solo show in Japan Fashion week, and was one of nine designers selected for the “Cutting Edge Creators from Japan” event held in Paris in October. She has also opened a shop in Isetan and a boutique in Paris. All of these are impressive feats in themselves, but all the more so when you consider that she’s all of 24. Working exclusively in women’s wear, Sagimori’s creations display the dramatic, often asymmetrical silhouettes that can be found on runways in Paris and Milan. What sets her apart, though, is attention to detail, especially in the selection of materials and tailoring. Minute design elements have included Japanese calligraphy allowed to bleed into silk until it’s nearly transparent, and phrases woven into knits. The young designer has also taken inspiration from disparate sources: her debut collection paid homage to Hitchcock’s The Birds, while another was influenced by the philosophical concept of antimony.

www.vantan.com/agurisagimori