Picture this: You’re at London Fashion Week, attending the showing of one of England’s premiere designers. It’s one of the best media covered shows of the week and as the show goes on you notice someting: all the models are Asian – not a single white girl on the catwalk. No big deal. The models are gorgeous and look great in the clothes, but still you think “Hmm… I wonder what the designer is try to say. Is Asian ‘in’ right now?”

Now, flip the script. The good news is you won’t have to stretch your imagination this time. You see, the reverse scenario is reality: Tokyo Fashion Week. This isn’t the case all the collections, but it’s notable that those collections featuring Asian models had only Asian models. Segregation 2.0. It isn’t new, so I guess I should expected it. And yet I don’t.

Click photos for larger views:

The Dress & Co. by Hideaki Sakaguchi

Mint Designs

Tiny Dinosaur by Naomi Yamamoto

Fur Fur by Aya Furuhashi

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Of twelve covers this year, Vogue Nippon (Tokyo edition) only featured an Asian model one time – on the November issue.

It’s Japan Fashion Week, although one can scarcely tell except by the names of the designers. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, but I still find it disturbing that even in Japan white models dominate the catwalk. While we can kvetch about the lack of black or otherwise “colored’ models in NYC, London, Milan, Paris.. in those cities non-whites are the minority. So as unsatisfying as it may be, it makes a bit more (non)sense. Yet even in Tokyo, they feel the need to import euro models.

I suppose I understand the business logic. That is, Japanese designers want to appeal to the broader fashion market that will view the shows in photos and video around the world. Still, I think it’s a shame.

Top three looks from Matohu, bottom three from Kamishima Chimami.

photos: jfw.jp

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