By: Oura Miyazaki
This week in the city of Tokyo, one particular designer took the spotlight on Tokyo Fashion Week. Tomo Koizumi and his distinct style catch the eye even within the colorful and unique styles prevailing in Tokyo. His lavish use of fluffy fabric that overwhelmingly, yet in a gorgeous way, surrounds the figures leaves us in awe. He adores vivid colors, which instantly lures us into his heartwarming world. Continue reading to learn about Koizumi’s dramatic journey as a young designer from Japan.
Koizumi was always immersed in colors. He would arrive at his kindergarten class full of origami, collecting a wide spectrum of hues. In middle school, he encountered British designer John Galliano’s designs for Christian Dior and quickly started creating clothes himself. He was also interested in international pop culture, which blossomed his passion for costume design.
At the National Chiba University, Koizumi studied as an art major. One day, he allowed one of his girlfriends to don his dress for a night out at a club. She was captured by a fashion snap, which then reached a multi-brand store in Tokyo that offered Koizumi a job. Immediately after graduating from college, he launched his own brand “Tomo Koizumi” and officially became a costume designer. Koizumi taught himself how to make clothes by reading books, consulting his designer friends in universities, and asking professional stylists for help. He tailored dresses for some Japanese designers and singers. In 2016, he provided a dress for Lady Gaga during her visit to Japan. Though he was consistently working as a costume designer, it was not until 2018 that he took a big step in his career.
In 2018, Katie Grand (the then editor-in-chief of the magazine LOVE) discovered Koizumi on Instagram and fell in love with his work. Grand organized a special exhibition for Koizumi during New York Fashion Week the following year, with kind support from Marc Jacobs. Koizumi boldly asserted his style by embracing his colorful dresses made with Japanese polyester. His abundant use of ruffles transformed the catwalk into a botanical garden. He immediately became the hot topic for various media outlets and left a mark on the mainstream fashion industry.
In an interview with Paper Magazine, Koizumi reveals that some of his inspirations come from gay clubs he attended as young as 14 years old. He explains that the experience has introduced him to high fashion and has inspired his unique outlook on fashion.
For the Tokyo Olympics held last year amidst the pandemic, a Japanese singer opened the ceremony with Koizumi’s gorgeous dress. The white ruffled dress extends to rainbow ends that convey a sense of hope for the unprecedented form of a long-held global event.
Koizumi has also embarked on merging his singular style with wedding dresses, enlivening the occasion to the highest extent. These dresses break the traditional wedding dress customs and allow a stream for personal expression.
If you have seen Koizumi’s dress once, you are definitely capable of recognizing his works anywhere. His dress has been featured on red carpets, in magazine covers, and in music videos. Koizumi is quickly attracting celebrities and stylists from all over the world.
This week for Tokyo Fashion Week, Koizumi has brought Japanese models and actresses to present his newest collection. His fluffy bouquets of vivid colors are painting the city of Tokyo and the lenses of those who view his style from around the world.
