TADASHI SHOJI FALL/WINTER 2019 RUNWAY SHOW

Fall 2019 is a travelogue of Southeast Asia, a land where wonder blossoms and beauty flourishes. Dazzling temples with rich ornamentation reveal each culture’s artistic expression. Not an inch is left bare. These impressive masterpieces inspire architectural silhouettes. Pleated-tulle tiers with pronounced seams mimic the visual rhythms created by steep, layered roofs. Stupas with elaborate moldings and crown-like spires inspire detailed and intricate textures. The Buddhist monks who frequent these temples influence tailored draping that wraps around the body in flattering sweeps. Depending on where you are, the monks’ robes can be quite distinctive from each other. The flowing folds and supple wrapping vary based on Buddhist school and lineage, region, and even temple. Their methods of draping are as long-standing as the temples themselves. Unchanged and deliberate, they connect past and future. A visit to Southeast Asia promises cultural intrigue. You can feel it in the colors—a palette of shiny gold stupas, floating markets, silk brocades, and old-world elegance. While Southeast Asian traditional dress is as diverse as its landscape, it shares the common bonds of beauty and fascination. Graceful proportions inform each look. Luxurious one-shoulder folds hint at the shawl-like sabai, and a glimpse of a midriff entices a longer gaze. Each trip to Southeast Asia is a journey to enchantment, where warm welcomes and perpetual allure suggest there is always more to discover.