There are some moments in life you just have an experience where you feel like you are living a dream.
As a lover of fashion, going to our favourite designer, Akira Isogawa’s fashion show, and sitting on the front row to admire his 20 year retrospective collection up close felt like a surreal dream. Both my sisters (Clarice & Janice) and I have admired Akira’s beautiful creations for decades, we love his oriental inspired designs, delicate embroidered motifs, his signature hand printed dresses, kimono style wraps & beautiful draping. My sister Clarice is his number one fan, and wore a stunning Akira full-length bridal gown with embroidered detailing on her wedding day.
There were so many beautiful pieces in his retrospective collection, I loved all the bright colours, hand-printed florals, japanese inspired draping, intricate embroidery, all the signature traits we have come to love & admire in Akira’s style, all wrapped up in one show.
A Sydney Florist put together the beautiful neckpieces with real hydrangeas hours before the show.
I loved the cute teddy-bear backpack above, worn with a long silk beaded skirt.
Stunning embroidered gold phoenix on the back of this kimono style jacket.
From Akira’s bridal collection, I remember seeing this dress at his collection ‘ode to Japan’ three years ago.
I loved all the soft layers on this skirt, paired with the tailored white jacket with embroidered beading.
Thick knits, layering & draping in natural/ nude colours.
Another gorgeous bridal gown, gorgeous beaded neckpiece, with red detailing peeping at the bottom hem of the dress.
Apologies for the bad picture above, but the detailed embroidery on this dress was very similar to my sister’s wedding dress. I loved the leather cropped jacket with embossed flowers, and the beautiful orchids used as a ‘floral armpiece’. 
Loved the violet silk aplique flowers hand sewn onto this dress.
The final piece – fuchsia pink dress, the model wore sequins on her face & beautiful floral headpiece.
All photos above were taken on my iphone. (this is the day I should definitely have brought the SLR!)
We found out that before the show that Akira had an accident earlier that day and was slightly injured, having to walk around in crutches, but that didn’t stop the designer from walking around with his big humble smile before and after the show.
He is definitely one of Australia’s great fashion icons, hats off to Akira Isogawa, after over 20 years on from when he opened his first boutique in Sydney’s Woollahra in 1993, he continues to show in Paris in for Spring Summer & Autumn Winter, and continues to create such exquisite, unique & dreamy timeless creations.
I am so glad I was able share this amazing experience with my sister and now with you.
xx J’adorais
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