The PHx Tokyo mentorship program will showcase the best of Filipino talent in the heart of Tokyo, Japan
Harajuku is perhaps best known for its unique kawaii aesthetic. Through the narrow alleyways of Tokyo's most renowned fashion district, shoppers, locals, and tourists are free to express themselves as creatively as possibly.
This year, eight brands from our very own shores are taking Tokyo by storm. Under the mentorship of Jason Lee Coates and Hirohito Suzuki of H3O Fashion Bureau and Tetta Mattera of LIT Fashion Consultancy, eight Filipino names are showcasing their designs at a three-day showroom exhibition in Lifork Harajuku. Between 7 July to 9 July, Bagasao, Feanne, HA.MÜ, J Makitalo, Jill Lao, Kelvin Morales, Lorico, and Neil Felipp will present their creativity to Japanese press, influencers, and buyers.
Through eight months of the PHxTokyo mentorship, each brand was given training on marketing, branding, and Japanese retailing. This event will be a culmination of all they've learned, and will also be a stepping stone to more exciting opportunities.
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"Japanese buyers are always fascinated to look at new brands. So hopefully we can have that knowledge with respect to quality, with respect to cut and fit, with respect to fabrications and pricing,” Jason Lee Coates remarked.
Mentor Tetta Mattera added: "The designers we are working with are very receptive. They acknowledge that what they already know is not the end-all and be-all of fashion. And there's also the mutual respect between us and designers."
An initiative headed by Seph Bagasao, Esme Palaganas, and Trickie Lopa, PHx Tokyo was done to help nurture the Philippine fashion industry. To date, the PHx Tokyo designers have produced multiple Japanese market-ready collections—a true testament to the global appeal of FIlipino talent.
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