Collections created with a thoughtful foundation give me a keener sense of interaction with the designer through their work. Such is the case with the Japanese brand, minä perhonen. For their a/w 2006-7 collection, “White Swan in Black Dress”, the theme is the relationship between outward appearance of a person and the “existence of hidden internal essence”. Clothes can either communicate or cover up personality and emotion. The idea is directly expressed in the fabrics of the collection as well. The “sunny spots” fabric has irregularly shaped holes with embroidered edges, inspired by the play of sunlight through trees. I had the privilege of corresponding with Akira Minagawa, the garment and textile designer for his brand, who explained the concept further: “There are always gaps between visible facts and essential truth. I sometimes realize that invisible things are the essential beauty, or beauty within.”*

minä perhonen a/w 2006-7, cascade dress
photographed by Norio Kidera
hair & make-up by Hiromi Chinone (cirque)

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