By now, you’ve probably seen photos of vibrant loofah-like dresses all over Instagram and wondered who is behind them. They are the work of Tomo Koizumi, a Japanese designer that British fashion journalist and stylist Katie Grand discovered on Instagram. Grand brought Koizumi from Japan to New York just three weeks after finding his work, launching him into stardom in a way most could only dream of.
Hosted at the Marc Jacobs store on Madison Avenue, Koizumi’s debut was certainly one of the most talked-about moments from this past season’s New York Fashion Week. There were only 28 looks, some from his archives and some new, but each one of them made a statement. Pat McGrath was in charge of doing the makeup while Guido Palau did hair, and with a lineup of models including Bella Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski, Joan Smalls, and Rowan Blanchard; it was an event full of top industry leaders. Undoubtedly, the most stunning part was when Game of Thrones actress Gwendoline Christie closed the show in a colorful tulle explosion of a jumpsuit that was made from 200 meters of fabric.
However, it takes more than a roster of big names and a great venue to make a memorable fashion show. Perhaps the most interesting part about Koizumi is that he has no formal training in fashion design; he’s a self-taught costume designer. Despite his lack of training, his ability to design such refreshingly whimsical pieces has helped him become one of the most talked-about people of NYFW. Though he just debuted in February, his designs have already been seen on major celebrities, including Miley Cyrus and Sophie Turner.
NYFW has been somewhat lackluster during the past few seasons, as many NYFW heavyweights are choosing to hold their shows elsewhere, leaving a roster of lesser-known designers. This past NYFW seemed to generate even less excitement than usual, as Raf Simons’ exit from Calvin Klein meant no Calvin Klein show, Alexander Wang is no longer on the regular schedule, and Rodarte decided to hold their show in Los Angeles instead. Koizumi brought light to a bleak New York, solidifying himself as a designer to watch in the upcoming seasons.
