While the dedicated fans of K-Pop weren’t replicated by fans of J-Pop on the third day of Men’s Fashion Week, the more restrained Japanese fashion fans were just as excited about the appearance of songbird Yuna Ito.
Japanese songbird Yuna Ito performing on the third night of Men's Fashion Week 2012. Image: Wesley Kow
With a line up of four top Japanese menswear designers ‒ Diet Butcher Slim Skin, Jun Hashimoto, Pascal Donquino and Factotum ‒ there was a lot of elegant suits and sportswear on show but a lot less bling compared to the Korean night on April 19.
Entertainment in the form of quirky jazz musician H Zett M ‒ who performed live with the designer of Diet Butcher Slim Skin during that brand’s runway show ‒ and comedic Kamiji Yusuke, who might have bemused the Singaporeans in the audience but was beloved by his countrymen and women, ended with a three song performance by Yuna Ito.
Known best for her soundtrack songs from popular Japanese movies and a single with Celine Dion, Ito is a romantic singer in the traditional mold and in her glittering white ballgown looked practically bridal on stage. Born in the US, her English conversations with the crowd flowed effortlessly ‒ although she did have problems with pronouncing the surname of Men’s Fashion Week founder Frank Cintamani ‒ but that didn’t stop her thanking him graciously from the stage.
And after her final song, an obviously star-struck “voice of Men’s Fashion Week”, former MTV VJ Utt, handed her a bunch of flowers before making her walk the runway, and then proposing they get married ‒ much to her surprise and the crowd’s amusement.
Although Ito was the obvious drawcard of the evening for those not into men’s fashion, she was almost outshone by a four-year-old.
Nominated as one of the “Best Dressed” of the night, Sorao Fukatami, was super cute in a hat, three-quarter trousers, Jeremy Scott for adidas trainers and a t-shirt “designed by his dad” who turned out to be none other than Hisashi Fukatami, the designer of Diet Butcher Slim Skin.
Mini fashionista Sorao Fukatami doing his runway walk with the "voice" of Men's Fashion Week 2012, Utt. Image: Wesley Kow
Once Utt, had tracked down a translator to help out, he managed to get the mini fashionista onto the catwalk to give the crowd a turn. With cries of “kawai’i” and “too cute”, the boy stole the limelight.
Day four of Men’s Fashion Week 2012 will see a mix of British designers and the only Singapore fashion label to show at the entire event, Reckless Ericka. Touted to have “returned to their roots”, the Singapore show will be the one to watch on Saturday, April 21.
There will also be seven ‒ yes, seven ‒ Singapore male models walking the runway for the brand; a first in the male modeling industry says veteran fashion show producer Daniel Boey who is immensely proud of “his boys”. Stay tuned for our backstage interviews and photos of these new faces of hot Singapore manhood as we interview them just for you.
Men’s Fashion Week Singapore 2012 will be held until April 22 at Marina Bay Sands, Convention Hall F. For more information about the various labels and events that will be happening, go to www.facebook.com/FideFashionWeek or fideproductions.com for the complete schedule.