ITS in Japan!
The Japanese finalists of ITS (International Talent Support) in Trieste, Italy were the protagonists of an exhibition held at the prestigious Isetan Store in Shinjuku in Tokyo
Japan’s contribution to ITS in Trieste in Italy has always been important: from a total of 550 finalists from 80 countries, 55 are Japanese and the winners from Japan are 20 out of 158. An intense and dense narrative that in recent days has been viewed by the many customers of the Isetan Store in Shinjuku in Tokyo who admired an exhibition with seven finalists from ITS past editions. Garments, accessories, artworks, jewels gathered in a refined set up that confirmed, once again, the effectiveness and uniqueness of ITS that, although always in search of beauty and creativity without compromise, also manages to successfully conquer large retail spaces.
Among the many fashion professionals who pushed for the exhibition to take place, Mari Terasawa, buyer at Isetan, who explained: “I have know about ITS for a long time, even before coming to Trieste this year, and I have always known that ITS always respects the personality and creativity of young designers. As a buyer for TOKYO-KAIHOUKU, I am interested in constantly offering new designers to our customers and therefore I am been following ITS for a long time. We work with many ITS finalists and winners, in particular with those from the Koko-no-gakkou school that has a strong connection with the contest. In Trieste I also found out that ITS is like a family that takes care of every single member…I’m really impressed by how ITS knows how to guard and protect the seeds sown by the creativity of young designers”. A special indissoluble bond between ITS and its finalists has been indeed established over time. Ryota Murakami, one of the creatives in the exhibition, dedicated a portrait T-shirt to Barbara Franchin, ITS founder and director. Also present in the exhibition, Mikio Sakabe, winner of ITS#FIVE, who said: “I still believe that ITS has been the most important experience of my life as a fashion designer. It was amazing to see the creations of so many designers around the world in one place. Nowadays I visit Trieste and ITS as a teacher at the Koko-no-gakkou school and I am still really excited to meet creative talents from around the globe”. And so, one of the most original and colourful components of the ITS Family was shown thousands of kilometres from Trieste, as proof of ITS wide extensiveness that never ceases to amaze. It suffices to mention the many interpretations from the jewellery section, which foresee the use of unconventional materials such as colourful eggs, reflected the carefree creative approach by young Japanese designers to jewellery as they do not experience the weight of European traditions.
