Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on February 2011

Photo courtesy of Street Level

Fashion and music are often seen as natural bedfellows, but you need talented people in both fields to make a collaboration work. Local promoters Street Level have been attempting to perfect the fusion with their Tokyo Fashion Fuse events, which pair stunning models—many of them Miss Universe Japan entrants—with internationally renowned DJs. Tokyo Fashion Fuse 4 promises to be the hottest yet, with music from Womb resident Satoshi Otsuki and model-celeb Van Cliffe.D (a.k.a. Elli-Rose). Add to that fashion from sleek Italian designers Pinko and some stunning models, including regulars Mitsuyo Uesaka, Naomi Obata and Marie Igarashi, and you’ve got one of the hottest tickets for Valentine’s weekend.

“The motivation behind Tokyo Fashion Fuse was to make fashion—and fashion shows—more accessible,” explains Street Level’s PR manager, Paul Banks. “The music, the DJ, the VJ, the incredible models—it’s just a perfect scenario for having fun.”

“This event really is ‘street’—the models, the crowd, the music are all connected,” agrees 2008 Miss Universe Japan Hiroko Mima, who appeared in the second and third editions. “It’s great fun to take part in, and I love the concept of the event.”

Since launching in January last year, Tokyo Fashion Fuse has been covered by TV shows including Fox TV’s Backstage Pass, as well as top Japanese fashion glossies like Glitter and Glamorous. Previous sponsors have included True Religion, No Name and popular Japanese brand Sly, while the latest edition comes with the backing of luxury carmaker Jaguar.

Tokyo Fashion Fuse 4
Top models strut to the sounds of DJ Satoshi Otsuki. Feb 12, 8pm, ¥2,500 (w/flyer)/¥3,500 (door). 57, Roppongi. Nearest stn: Roppongi. http://streetleveltokyo.com