The , sometimes abbreviated as TGC, is a semiannual fashion festival launched in 2005. It is mainly held near
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...
area and some local cities such as
Kitakyushu
is a city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of June 1, 2019, Kitakyushu has an estimated population of 940,978, making it the second-largest city in both Fukuoka Prefecture and the island of Kyushu after the city of Fukuoka. It is one of ...
,
Nagoya
is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most p ...
and
Okinawa
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
. The fashion event showcases the seasons fashionable
streetwear
Streetwear is a style of casual clothing which became global in the 1990s. It grew from New York hip hop fashion and Californian surf culture to encompass elements of sportswear, punk, skateboarding and Japanese street fashion. Eventually h ...
by domestic brands. It was founded by
Fumitaro Ohama
, is a Japanese internet entrepreneur and a philanthropist, founded Japan's first mega mobile site, "girlswaler.com". Ohama also established "fashionwalker.com" with Japan's major portal site, Yahoo! Japan( SoftBank Group), became the president ...
.
The concept of TGC was an event displaying the wish and prayer for continued growth, prosperity and developments in Asia, mainly in Japan after the world war. The first show was produced by Ohama. In the later show, Ohama collaborated with
Takashi Murakami
is a Japanese contemporary artist. He works in fine arts media (such as painting and sculpture) as well as commercial (such as fashion, merchandise, and animation) and is known for blurring the line between high and low arts as well as co ae ...
, the contemporary artists, to bring fashion and art together in the show.
Most of those who walk in the TGC
runway
According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and takeoff of aircraft". Runways may be a man-made surface (often asphalt concrete, as ...
are
muse
In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the ...
s for
fashion
Fashion is a form of self-expression and autonomy at a particular period and place and in a specific context, of clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyle, and body posture. The term implies a look defined by the fash ...
brand
A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create a ...
s, and many of them are not
professional fashion models. Recently, as of 2012, actress
Yumiko Shaku walked in the Spring-Summer TGC show as the muse for
gyaru fashion brand "Rady" by Shizuka Mutoh, a model known for appearing in the ''
Koakuma Ageha magazine''.
The event is open not only to
buyers and
journalists
A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalism ...
, but also to the
general public and incorporates live
concerts
A concert is a live music performance in front of an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, choir, or band. Concerts are held in a wide variety an ...
by well-known artists, charity
auctions as well as the Miss TGC Contest. The event is planned and sponsored by Branding Inc. (which runs girlswalker.com and fashionwalker.com) and the
outfits donned by the models are made available for purchase on the spot through Fashionwalker's mobile site.
In June 2015, the event's license was purchased by the Japanese media company
DLE (company) from Branding Inc. The first TGC to be organized by DLE was held on September 27, 2015. In July 2016, DLE took over complete control of TGC from Branding Inc., creating a new governing company, W Media.
Past venues
: To expand to a wider audience the Tokyo Girls Collection will team up with the Shibuya Girls Collection
Shibuya (渋谷 区 ''Shibuya-ku'') is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. As a major commercial and finance center, it houses two of the busiest railway stations in the world, Shinjuku Station (southern half) and Shibuya Station.
As of April 1, ...
and extend to a two-day event. The first day will host the 8th Tokyo Girls Collection while the second day will host the 3rd Shibuya Girls Collection.
References
{{reflist, 30em
External links
Tokyo Girls Collection- Official website
Fashion events in Japan
Japanese fashion
Japanese subcultures
Recurring events established in 2005
2005 establishments in Japan
Events in Tokyo
Annual events in Japan
Semiannual events