Tokyo James and a homey feeling

Sometimes, fashion is not simply about attire; it is about presence, the ability to enter a room and command attention without saying a word.

The Tokyo James brand has built its reputation on this understanding, creating pieces that project confidence, structure, and quiet authority.

Tokyo James had been away from the Milan runway for almost two years. Two years in fashion is not a small thing. Think about it for a second: a child born two years ago has already learned how to walk, talk, and probably has opinions about what they want to wear. That is how much time has passed, and that is how fast the industry moves.

The industry never waits for anybody. Trends move, conversations shift, and new stylish names are pushing for space at the table. So, when the brand came back for Fall 2022 Ready-to-Wear, the question on every serious fashion watcher’s mind was: What did the brand come back with?

The answer? Homey feeling. And honestly, nothing else needed to be said. As a fashion lover, there is a certain kind of fashion brand that makes a comeback with noise, as if absence needs to be compensated for. Tokyo James brand does not enter fashion spaces like an outsider. It returns with the authority of a house stepping back into a room it has always owned.

The collection wasn’t just named “Homey,” feeling blue. It was a name well thought through because the collection to portray a specific mood, posture, and a declaration that there’s no difference between comfort and skill.

In the article, I’ll be meticulously looking at some of the brand’s well-crafted outfits in the 2022 collection.

With the first outfit, I can clearly see that the brand did not come to play at all. There is a black two-piece suit, with some ‘dart frog’ attachments infused across the jacket and down the trousers. Clearly, the designers did not intend to make it subtle. And that’s the point. Tokyo James was not coming back to play it safe. It was coming back to say something, and indeed, what was said was loud and ambitious.

The designer alternated it with bold black-and-white stripes that slap. If their outfit is considered for any occasion, I’d recommend swapping the Nike for a clean white low-top sneaker or an eye-catching black leather loafer.

I like the black and white-striped pattern implemented in the outfit. Interestingly, the outfit can be worn casually and in a somewhat casual setting. The mesh panel running through the trousers gives it a free-flowing look. The red mask also blends well with the outfit’s colour grading.

I recommend that the designer stick to the stripe patterns alone.

There’s no need to add extra accessories or designs to the outfit.

Also, the oversized volume is extreme. When tailored in a smaller frame like that, it could swallow the wearer. Reduce the waist and consider converting it to a shorter jacket fabric that will reach a wider audience.

Well, well. One look at their outfit and it may take one’s breath away. There is a sheer black lace top paired with a lace midi skirt. I notice the skirt’s hem is covered in a rusty orange-looking braided fringe. In that case, whenever the wearer moves, the fringe will move as well.

The outfit is quite European-structured. A testament to the designer’s versatility.

However, I believe the minimal coverage underneath will be limiting, especially in countries and continents that are particular about their dressing culture. It is beautiful, but you cannot wear it everywhere.

Strips have been infused in outfits time and time again. The designer knew that and did not care one bit. Their outfit is well-crafted. It’s quite evident that there was some careful detailing that went into it.

The red mask is a nice touch. One of the downsides of the outfit, though, is the fact that the ruching looks like it is pulling down. A more structured inner layer would hold it better and give it cleaner lines on the body.

The stripe pattern is good enough to carry colour without losing any of its impact. So, there’s no need to add extra accessories or designs to the outfit. This is my recommendation.

What an outfit! What a combination!

You see that particular outfit? It will announce itself even before the wearer does. Combining the colours orange and white was a brilliant move. The matching mask sits on the face like a masquerade. And somehow, it all works. Their outfit makes you look back to the street, to youth, to the everyday Nigerian boy who throws on a blazer over his shorts and still looks like he owns the whole street.

The oversized blazer over the short shirt dress creates a proportion issue depending on the body. Taller frames will bring out the beauty of their clothes with ease, but shorter people may find it difficult to wear them.

The designer should consider putting wide-leg trousers in white or cream underneath instead of a shirt dress to keep the energy of the initial look intact.

‘Mo’hawk arising’

When one takes a first glance at the outfit and even the model, they will either get completely confused or converted entirely. There is no middle ground, and Tokyo James did not make room for one. There is a cropped black leather biker jacket.

The outfit is studded, chained, and covered in deconstructed Nike shoebox panels and actual Nike bags sewn directly into the fabric, and accompanied by a spiked Mohawk headpiece that looks like a masquerade festival in Benin, Nigeria.

Simultaneously, when I look at their outfit, The Matrix comes to mind.

The designer is taking the most recognisable logo of Western consumer culture and literally wearing it as armour. There is a runway look-through and through. Without context, it risks reading as costume and not clothing. There is a wide gap between concept and commercial reality.

Indeed, no outfit is perfect. That one clearly isn’t. While it’s appealing enough, it equally appears like the designer was overdoing it. I recommend that the designer tone down the ‘classic bad boy’ outlook.

That lemon-looking outfit possesses some ‘love at first sight’ quality. The chartreuse suit is worn head to toe without apology. Jacket, trousers, shirt underneath, all in that one electric shade. The matching bag is adorned with a black chain fringe headpiece cascading over a cap like a crown that has seen things.

I’m not so sure about the white Nike sneakers. Perhaps another colour, like black, could go better. Notwithstanding, the lemon colour can be one of the hardest colours to wear. It clashes with many skin tones and requires a very deliberate styling to avoid losing the intent of being bold. On that note, the designer has done a brilliant job in that regard.

But I recommend that the designer sew the outfit with a deep olive forest green for a broader audience.

Beautiful outfit, that one. The final outfit in the collection is a crochet oversized cape shirt, worn over a black satin button-down black brief. The cape sleeves give the dress a theatre kind of vibe.

The brief-only bottom styling is editorially brilliant but very limited commercially. Without trousers or a skirt, their look stays firmly on the runway and in magazine editorials. No one would add it to the wardrobe collection.

The designer should consider styling the cape shirt over high-waisted wide-leg trousers or a fitted black satin midi skirt. The top is good enough to transcend beyond a runway piece.

In Nigeria today, Tokyo James sits in his own lane. Look at Mai Atafo, for instance; he is known for always designing sharp suits and wedding tuxedos. His collections are very polished and international. Tokyo James, on the other hand, uses creativity to blend Western contemporariness and African finesse to produce top-notch attire.

Their 2022 collection of outfits shows ambition and technical skill, but also exposes the tension between concept and execution.

In a season where many fashion brands played it safe after two difficult years, Tokyo James was honest about it’s return. And if you know anything about fashion, you must already know that honesty done well is always the boldest thing anyone can wear.

Overall, The brand has made a name for itself when it comes to modern contemporariness. If they continue at that pace, I can categorically ascertain that they’ll will go toe-to-toe with rival international brands.

By Seun Emmanuel