Mikio Sakabe Tokyo Spring 2027

La Foret, the iconic teen‑oriented mall in Harajuku, became the backdrop for Mikio Sakabe’s latest collection, which explored the hunt for a source of fantasy. The designer turned to Japan’s gravure magazines – mildly erotic publications aimed at men, featuring wide‑eyed models in lingerie, swimwear or cosplay – as an unexpected starting point for a show he described as “a swimsuit show held in a shopping mall.”

“There’s something interesting about the concept of a fashion show in a Japanese fashion mall,” Sakabe explained. “It feels bright and showy but it’s also a little sad.” To underline that contrast, the runway was scattered with discarded coffee cups and cans. Models alternated between classic bikinis and Sakabe’s signature deconstructed oversized tailoring, with shirts cut and layered into chaotic shapes, some adorned with frills or floppy elements resembling bunny ears.

All the looks were completed with the helmet‑like wigs that have become Sakabe’s hallmark in recent seasons – “somehow I really like them,” he said – and paired with bubble‑soled sneakers from his successful footwear line, Grounds, which launched in 2019 and now employs about 100 people worldwide.

A former classmate of Demna at the Antwerp Academy, Sakabe is known for digging deep into underground culture and reshaping it into fashion that can feel ironic yet remains highly coveted, especially across Asia. This collection, like much of his work, dealt with the longing to escape reality and the futility of that desire: the hyperreal gloss of gravure set against the ordinary setting of a shopping centre. The final look, a half‑worn shirtdress trimmed with silver slits, acted as a portal, suggesting a glimpse into another universe.