The 12th Annual Japan Fashion Week was intended to be a time of prosperity for not only the Asian country, but for the fashion world. Japan Fashion Week in Tokyo aimed to strengthen Tokyo’s functions as a hub for fashion business. As a gateway to success for young designers, the showing unfortunately could not bring together creators to appeal to buyers this year. A framework to give young designers an interest in the Asian Market and an opportunity to try a hand in Tokyo was never made possible due to the massive impact of East Japan Earthquake since records. Needless to say, the fashion industry will suffer a great physical and psychological damage from the absence of one of the most prominent global fashion showings.
Sending heart-felt regrets to those affected by the Earthquake, the Japan Fashion Week Organization decided to announce this week that Japan Fashion Week was canceled. The cancellation detailed as multiple concerns regarding current electricity shortages, unreliable transportation, and general safety concerns.
Consequently, the fashion world is missing out on the following fashion event of Tokyo Collection Week. As fashion companies work hard to maintain and expand their business connections, the Organization considers it its duty to support their efforts. Since conditions in each of their source areas vary greatly, so does their rate of production. Despite these difficult times, the Organization will continue to try its best to obtain the products they can so that they may put together exhibitions to showcase them.
Fashion designer Motonari Ono is dissapointed over the tragedy but understands it was a necessary decision: “I look forward to this week all year and it is an unfortunate circumstance but I know, the fashion industry will still prevail.”
The Organization will take necessary measures and organize exhibitions by communicating closely with each company to determine a concrete support strategy that may be put it into effect. Regarding the contents of the collection, they also intend to make the collection available on the web as a means to not only provide more opportunities for business connections but also so that it may act as a source for information. In such, they will do whatever they can to keep the business flame burning in order to promote new fashion business.
The corporation responsible for colorful high street chain Uniqlo, Fast Retailing group, has donated 1.4 billion yen in money and clothing through the Japanese Red Cross Society. In sum, over $17 million American dollars. As the fashion world rallies, Marc Jacobs International has plans to donate to Red Cross Japan, and Lady Gaga’s “We Pray for Japan” bracelets have raised $250,000 thus far.
Cindy Kim, a volunteer for Red Cross Japan is thrilled to see the response to tragedy: “My faith in humanity is restored with the abundance of donations to re-build the country of Japan.”
Feel free to donate and help get Japan stabilized to satisfy our need for their global fashion and contribution to the fashion world. Call 1-800-Red-Cross or go to www.redcross.org.
by MONICA BEDI
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