STORY: 30-year veteran Japanese designer Ritsuko Shirahama displayed her latest fashion collection on Tuesday (October 14) during fashion week which kicked off a day before.
Dressing her models up in bright chic clothes which reflected her theme, hope.
The designer and her team concocted 37 different dresses in under 5 months, averaging about two dresses a week.
Shirahama, who has been designing clothes independently since 1984, has seen the industry change over three decades in the business.
She noted that the average consumer in Japan is becoming less discerning due to a market filled with cheap clothes and a shorter fashion cycle.
Shirahama's pieces average about $600 a pop and she clothes are sold in 10 countries world-wide.
The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Tokyo will continue until Saturday (October 19).
