Tokyo James Launches SS17 New Lookbook #FashionFridays
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Tokyo James, the fashion designer has launched his SS17 collection and once again he pushes the boundaries.
I got to hear about Tokyo James for the first time, a few months ago while I was watching Ebony Life TV. He appeared on Moments and I was fascinated. Several things captured my interest.
The first was his name. Yes, it is really his name and I was intrigued. There had to be a story behind such a name and I was right, there was a story. According to him, his parents gave him the name because he was conceived in Tokyo. Now, that is a fantastic reason to give a child a name.
The second reason was the fact that he’s from the middle belt of Nigeria. He is British Nigerian, but the Nigerian part of him is from that region of the country. I’m partly from there and spent all my growing up years there so it caught my attention.
Tokyo James the Designer
The third reason was that he was a designer. That should probably have been the first but well…He already had a reputation as a stylist and magazine editor before he forayed into designing his own clothes and just a couple of months back, he was one of the Nigerian designers to feature at the South African Fashion Week (SAFW).
His designs are unexpected and will take you unawares. I didn’t quite know what to make of them. They are not stff you expect to see when you walk into a retail store, and I suppose that is the point. This is a luxury fashion brand. What bought me over though was the cut…his pieces are superbly cut and tailored.
The SS17 Lookbook
He just launched a new collection and we are not disappointed. It is as unexpected as his former collections. However in creating this look book, the use of portraiture gave it a signature look that you will not find in most runways. The models are strong, masculine and beautiful (yes, masculinity can be beautiful). I stared at the look book for several moments and the words that filtered through were:
“Poetry in motion”
And I guess that is adequate representation of the Tokyo James brand. These are some of the pieces that caught my eye in the SS17 Lookbook. You can view the entire collection at refashionafrica.com
Credits:
Photography: Ankia Monlar
Art director/ Stylist : Miss Bones @missbonesandheels
MUA and Grooming : @pradahouse
Designer: Tokyo James Instagram: @Tokyojamess