Michiko Koshino – We Salute You

London, RTW A/W 2006. Japanese designers have a predictable way of delivering fashion in the most un-predictable ways. Sydney-siders who visited the exhibition “Cutting Edge - Fashion From Japan” will probably agree with us on that. But where we're thinking mostly of Hiroaki Ohya’s un-wearable red neckpiece from the “Wizard of Jeans” series, the pieces that Michiko Koshino delivered yesterday seemed almost tame in comparison.

Saying that we love this kind of fashion would be a tissue of lies, but we have a certain respect for the avant garde, the creativity, and the somewhat timeless-ness that lies within this type of complex work. Working predominantly with safe colours like sand, off white, champagne and chocolate brings the niche of a daring collection like this to a more accessible level. Then you throw a bit of silk, taffeta, and chiffon all mixed together – and the pieces do grow on you. We look at these images and they make us smile. But it’s not because of the airbags on the shoulders, or the mish-mash of threads on a - seemingly - normal skirt. It’s because we’re sat here in frayed Misfit jeans - just like a billion other fashionistas these days.