Yesterday while I was running around the city I stopped in to peep the status at Opening Ceremony NYC, and after looking through racks and racks of private label Opening Ceremony collection, which is a very well edited collection of must have items of the season, I got to a collection that made my mouth water. G.V.G.V. is a Japanese label whose SS09 collection concentrates on hyper bondage/constructed graphic dresses which are extremely wearable and not outrageously expensive. Still more than i could drop to walk out with one on the spot but definitely worth contemplation. I believe Opening Ceremony is one of the only stores to carry the collection in the US so make some time to stop in and check it out. And now a bit more on the label…

Designer Mug was born in 1971. After graduating in 1999 from the Kuwasawa Design School Mug laid down the foundations of her own brand that has come to be known as G.V.G.V.. Mug’s world is represented by a mix of femininity and masculinity, with free sensitivity that is present in every season’s collection. G.V.G.V. has now become one of the most attractive Tokyo fashion label.

G.V.G.V. has also injected its creativity into other fashion brands through design collaborations. In collaborating with UNIQLO’s designer’s invitation for their 2007 spring and summer collection and also producing for UT, the T-shirt for concept of UNIQLO t-shirts from
2008 spring and summer.

G.V.G.V. ss09 Collection – PRIMITIVE CONSCIOUS
This collection represents graphics by constructing three dimensional effects with patterns and cutting. Three dimensional effects are emphasized with details such as lace up, zipper or piping and sheer or stretch material to enhance the woman’s body line. Also by adding “banded” or tribal accessories, MUG proficiently expresses the strong and fleeting image of woman.

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We briefly introduced you to Mon Tsuki when we showed the urban preppy chic collection they designed for f/w 08/09, now here is a follow up for those that may have an appetite for quirky thematic design.  The label is designed by  Takehiro Nagasawa and Shintaro Fujikawa, nearly 20-year industry veterans, who represent Japan’s own fashion education system. The Tokyo Mode Institute graduates had mainly been focusing on womenswear until about 5 years ago when they introduced their mens collections. Since then they have been delivering mens collections full of color and generally drawing very direct infleunce from something they believe is trending. This season, ss09, is no different, with a collection title “Cycle Traditional”, they bring in as many elements of urban cycling as possible. There is definitly a strong reference to Tour de France, obvious with the hats and the color pallette. The collection definitly feels Japanese to in its sensibility to capture all the elements of a trend and recreate them. Few designers elsewhere have the nerve or design ethic to do things that way.