A runway made of tatami mats set the stage for Né-Net’s spring collection. Designer Kazuaki Takashima reinterpreted Japanese traditional garments such as hanten jackets and tabi socks. In keeping with the theme, the models slipped off their shoes before walking on the runway, just as they would if they were entering a Japanese home.
The cohesive collection had a sweet, country feel to it, with numerous indigo pants and straw accessories. Kimono-style jackets looked fresh when printed with whimsical renditions of bears, rabbits, birds and monkeys. Takashima also worked Japanese influences into Western staples, as when he printed fleece sweatshirts with the rising sun of the Japanese flag or a cartoonlike rendition of Mount Fuji. Japan’s famous peak also appeared on oversize women’s sweaters, and was the inspiration for a quirky straw hat that gave punch to a simple men’s look of gray trousers and an indigo shirt.
