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Resort Mood: European Elegance and Asian Mystery All Rolled into One
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April 13, 2007
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"My first presentation with Heaven in PARIS. It was so exciting!"
And so begins an email from Mikio Sakabe, ITS#FIVE finalist and winner of the Fashion Special Prize, who wrote to tell us about his showroom collection. The exhibit was organised by the Flanders Fashion Institute and held during Paris Women's Fashion week from 26th February to 3rd. March 2007. Mikio and two other designers presented their A/W 2007-2008 collection at the Residence of the Ambassador of Belgium in France. For Mikio it was a first, so it comes as no surprise that he was both excited and scared, although he looks quite comfortable (and very dapper) alongside the two models that are wearing his creations...
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Since 1998, Flanders Fashion Institute has supported the presence of Belgian fashion designers in Paris with the presentation of their new winter and summer collections. During Women's Fashion Week, it organised its own showroom for the first time, so it was the first time for both Mikio and FFI. Mikio plus two other young and promising designers, Jessie Lecomte and Peter Pilotto (who's name may sound familiar as ITS#THREE winner of the Maria Luisa Award), all graduates of Hogeschool Antwerpen, presented their collections to the international fashion press and international buyers this past February.
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Mikio's inspiration for his showroom collection, which gave him the opportunity to create a personal place to present his work, was a "resort mood"; When Europeans go on holiday, they go to rich Asian resorts, his collection is thus a mix of European elegance and luxury with Asian mystery and relaxation. Mikio uses silk in almost all the clothing in this collection, along with snakeskin and ray skin, making the clothing more exotic and, at the same time, natural.
Fellow ITS#FIVE finalist and Hogeschool Antwerpen student Heaven Tanudiredja collaborated with Mikio on the collection, offering some interesting accessories. The collaboration between Mikio and Heaven was not at all difficult for the two classmates, as they are already friends. "Heaven has his own sense of elegance, and I respect it".
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Mikio is planning a collection in Tokyo next September. So stay tuned...
For more information, log onto Mikio's website: www.mikiosakabe.com
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Tanudiredja Heaven
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Sakabe Mikio
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Pilotto Peter
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