Bunka Fashion College in Shinjuku – graduate accessories exhibition

I always like to check out the Bunka Fashion College in Shinjuku when I visit, as it always has various costumes in the window display. Invariably the Bunka Costume Museum is closed when I’m here, so I go to the college and see the students’ work instead.

The college has over 70 branches all over Japan and has exchange programs with Central Saint Martins in London and Parsons in New York. Famous graduates include Kenzo Takada, Junya Watanabe and Yohji Yamamoto.

So the costumes in the window firstly.

Looks like it is pirate-era inspired

As I entered the building, there was an amazing display of graduates work in the foyer which you weren’t supposed to photograph – so I got some from the outside later.

As I turned left I saw an exhibition of intricate and fantastical headwear, boots, shoes, gloves and bags.

First the leather accessories – I think there was a spring theme going on.

Um, do those white things make cankles seem smaller, or sumfink?

Look at these shoes – they look like they’re made of bones – even the heels!

This metal and wirework ‘stole’ for over the shoulders was truly amazing…and a little creepy with the hands

The headwear was less out there but still intriguing

And my personal favourite – an amazing confection of mauve crin. Either tubular crin or crin ribbon has been flattened and wound around something spiral fashion to make a coil. Then it’s been sewn together and further embellished. I just kept staring at it to see how it had been done. A little milliner-nerdy of me, I guess 🙂

Then there were bags, and more shoes

Finally, on the way out I snapped some of these spooky things that looked like the scary clown in Ashes to Ashes (both the Bowie clip and the UK series). The horns and cones in the headwear were made of distressed crin, and some of the the fabric of the clothing was printed in a graphic digital design that is very this season. The photos are weird, as you see the reflection of the street in the glass, but it’s an interesting effect.