Tomihiro Kono Head Prop Collections at London Fashion Week: a parallel world ruled by déjà vu

During London Fashion Week, established Japanese hairstylist Tomihiro Kono presented his latest creations with a film screening, performance and photography exhibition.

His invitation directed guests to come to a black door next to the popular Old Shoreditch Station Café and GoSee was of course intrigued. So, we waited at the black door on Friday night and were led upstairs by his veiled assistants.

The room was covered in frames of his photography collaboration with the project’s art director, photographer and film editor Sayaka Maruyama (www.syk-jp.com). Beautiful images that appear to have been captured in a different time, in a parallel world.

This world is made up of Tomihiro’s creations, inspired by strange, otherworldly characters, yet as he says himself, he feels he has met them before, as if they are exaggerations of the people he has met in his lifetime. They create a sense of déjà vu – and so this is what he decided to call the collection.

After the magical film had been screened, the white fabric curtain was drawn to one side by Tomihiro’s well dressed and the guests were faced with their own sense of surreal déjà vu.

Here, behind the curtain, was a stage and the characters from the film lived there. They came to life before our very eyes in a live performance piece that was simply mind blowing. It was the tale of a disturbed dream, someone haunted by a host of characters including sirens, opera singers, delicate redheaded nymphs and our personal favourite the creepy lady with the fringed hat whose movements were just as trembling as those of the fringing on her apparel.

Anything could and did happen in this parallel universe, where Tomihiro’s magnificent creations were brought to life.

Tomihiro is a co-founder of artist collective Neon O’clock Works, who were in charge of the creative direction, film direction and costume direction of the collection’s accompanying film.

His work has been featured in magazines such as Italian Vogue, i-D, Dazed and Confused and Zoo.

GoSee asked him a few short questions on the night of his London Fashion Week event.

What is your favourite hat?
I simply can’t choose, I love all of them.

Which hat would you most like to wear?
None of them, I personally prefer to stick to more simple, classic and sleek hat designs.

Where do you see your designs?
Brought to life in the wonderful world of magazines.