Next Fashion Designer of Tokyo 2025
Final Review Fashion Show Overview
On Saturday, March 29th, the Final Review Fashion Show for the Next Fashion Designer of Tokyo 2025 was held at Oyane Plaza in Roppongi Hills. Under the watchful eyes of the judges and a large audience, a fashion show was staged featuring 12 groups of nominees for the Tokyo Governor's Award who passed the rigorous second screening (6 groups in the Free category and 6 in the Inclusive Design category), along with 6 nominees for the Special Selection Award (3 in the Free category and 3 in the Inclusive Design category). After the judges' careful evaluation, the Tokyo Governor's Award was granted to Sakura Ninomiya from Esmod Tokyo in the Free category and to Nanako Kuroda from Tokyo Mode Gakuen in the Inclusive Design category.
The show, enriched by professional support through workshops led by special advisors and individualized consultation sessions with merchandisers, pattern makers, and designers, truly embodied the creativity, skills, and visions of the participants.
Runway
Each finalist created a series of 3 looks, which they presented on the runway. Despite the short production timeframe, all the pieces were completed with remarkable skill and passion based on the designers' conceptual ideas, captivating the many audience members present.
Talk Show
A talk show was held featuring judges Kunihiko Morinaga, Chizuru Muko, Yukari Ota, and Chiemi Kominato. They shared their thoughts on "The Future of Fashion and Expectations for Young Designers," discussing their impressions after the final review and expressing their hopes for young designers.
Award Ceremony
During the award ceremony, Katsuhiko Hibino presented Special Selection Prizes in both the Free and Inclusive Design categories. Katsuhiko Hibino and Yumiko Hara presented the Tokyo Governor's Excellence Awards in the Free and Inclusive Design categories, respectively. Deputy Governor Akiko Matsumoto presented the Tokyo Governor's Award Grand Prizes in both categories.
Backstage
Backstage, finalists themselves conducted fittings for models starting the day before the show. They also worked on creating styling sheets as part of a workshop, ensuring thorough final checks right up until moments before stepping onto the runway. Experiencing the production environment under such high pressure likely provided invaluable experience for these aspiring designers' future endeavors in the fashion industry.
