From The Straits Times    |

TOKYO – Thai-born, New York-based designer Pim Sukhahuta and her sisters Kly and Matina, sent a cute, girlie, sporty collection of sheer shirts, ruffled short skirts, printed faux fur and pom-poms down the runway in the opening show of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Tokyo for Sretsis Autumn Winter 2014-15.

Entitled “The Curious Club of Gentlewomen” the show featured a number of non-traditional looking models, used to help created the feel of a “private women’s club” echoed in the cute staging of a wooden door – complete with cute doorman – and backlit windows showing the models hanging out together.

sretsis aw14 at tokyo fashion week DECOR CHEERLEADERS

1950s college vibe at Sretsis AW14-15. Images: Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Tokyo 

Using classic shapes with a school uniform feel for shirts, despite being constructed of sheer organza, sweaters, princess coats, pleated skirts – think 1950s cheerleaders – the almost “kawai’i” styling of knee-high boots designed to look like socks and ankle boots with floppy socks gave the collection a very young feel.

There were also soft interpretations of the “tuxedo” which added a touch of the tomboy to the collection; the boxy pants and button-up shirts were offset with white-fronted mini dresses in chiffon. Short skirts embellished with ruffles; flower-shaped pom-poms adorning full-skirted dresses edged with ruffles; loose tailoring with a tomboy feel … All this left the collection looking very “Harajuku Girl”.

Breaking the flow of the show, a change in music and pace introduced a slightly more grown-up series of dresses; there was still a lot of sheer fabric, and flower pom-poms, but the overall feel was more 1950s college girls go to a formal. These were certainly pretty dresses and fit within the brand’s DNA of fine detailing on feminine shapes.

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Fabulous frothy dresses from Sretsis AW14-15 featuring Japanese celebrity model Kiko MIzuhara (far right) at Tokyo Fashion Week. Images: Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Tokyo

At the finale the three sisters and their muse – Kiko Mizuhara (one of Japan’s celebrity models) – looked overjoyed with the show as they broadly smiled and Kiko gave a twirl of her flower pom-pom prom dress that had been especially made for her to wear; as the opening show for MBFWT it was rather appropriate.

For more information about Sretsis, go to www.sretsis.com; and for Sretsis accessories, go to Matina Amanita at www.matinaamanita.com. You can follow both brands on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Sretsis.MatinaAmanita  and on Instagram at @stretsismatinaamanita