The best of Japan’s designers for Autumn/Winter 2026
Tokyo is the world’s fifth fashion capital – and the brands, designers and trends born there proved the city’s claim to the title once again with this season’s Rakuten Fashion Week. Taking place from March 16th to the 21st, the event saw shows from all over the globe with ambassadors from Berlin, Taiwan and France.
From award-winning emerging talents to industry veterans, here’s a look at some of Tokyo Fashion Week’s best moments.
Yoke
Initially presenting a menswear show in Paris back in January, the label’s return to their hometown was marked by the theme of “Beyond From.” Drawing inspiration from the surrealist sculptures of Jean Arp, minimalist silhouettes were underlined by subtle, unique detailing.
Kakan
The 2026 Tokyo Fashion Award’s recipient, designer Kakan Kudo’s debut was one of the week’s most anticipated events. Titled “Wild, Not Pure”, the knitwear label blended distressed patterns and elegant textures for a softly contrasting expression of the human form.
Pays Des Fees
Taking place in the historical pre-war building of the Ginza Lion Classic Hall, the brand’s 20th anniversary show reimagined fairies as a wish for peace. Using tweed, velvet and organza materials, garments resembled the European dark-age portrayals of supernatural beings. Merging this with the brand’s signature ultra-feminine visual identity, clothing appeared both mystical yet hyper-realistic.
Anthem A
Another winner of this year’s Tokyo Fashion Award, designers Mariko Suzuki and Nao Yoshida positioned their collection as a “Chapter 1 of a two-part series on discovering a new self”. Subverting expectations of materiality with embellishments and asymmetrical silhouettes, pieces blurred the lines between menswear and womenswear categories.
Kiminori Morishita
Moving away from traditional runway formats, Morishita presented an art installation with “80 Pieces of History”, displaying garments from 2003 to 2026 on a rack. Taking place in a pitch-black venue with the designer’s voice playing in the background, the recording explained the tailoring, dyeing and finishing techniques of each piece.
Viviano
Held in Yodobashi church, models walked down a narrow stone path with bright red lighting. Titled “Portrait of Her, Unnamed”, the collection portrayed perseverance and possibility amidst uncertainty. Using chiffon and floral patterns, colors evoked both the falling petals of a flower and bleeding wounds.
Ryunosukeokazaki
In line with the philosophy of “prayer”, Okazaki crafts sculptural garments as an expression of emotion. Introducing patterns for the first time, pieces resembled waterdrops, blooming florets and the night sky’s stars. Accompanied by metallic accessories, the experimentalist designer stated that the vertical protrusions laid the ground for future expansion into ready-to-wear garments for the brand.
Alainpaul
An industry veteran – having been a member of Demna’s Vetements and Virgil Abloh’s Louis Vuitton design teams – the runway was inspired by the concept of infinity. Connecting mind and body through garment, it blurred the lines of gender through the lens of contemporary ballet experiences.
Mukcyen
With designer Yuka Kimura inspired by both the life of Marie Antoinette Franz Kafka’s novel Metamorphosis, pieces explored the tension between social roles and personal narratives. Reimagining 18th century French dress in body-conscious silhouettes and modular functionality, the collection displayed aristocratic attire in a modern lens.
See also: Menswear spring/summer 2026 runway report (part 1 of 2)