SHINMAI Creator's Project was launched in April, 2008, for the purpose of giving chance to enter the fashion market in Japan to young and talented designers, both at home and abroad, desiring to make goods in Japan. Five brands were strictly selected from a total of 52 brands in 17 nations around the world. Among them, designers from four brands visited the JFW-JC 2009 A/W, and closely looked around the booths. The collection of the selected designers will be displayed at the show of Japan Fashion Week, in March 2009.

Ms Donna Sgro　 A marvelous hall! Lots of items of very high quality. In Australia, we don't have such a big site of exhibition. Yesterday, I walked around the site, and today I picked up samples from booths I was interested in. Tomorrow, I'll closely look at materials, and build up my design images. In Australia, I've used some Japanese materials, and at the next year's show, I'm going to use Japanese materials to compose my show.

Mr. Nima Taherzadeh I encountered more interesting materials than I imagined. My favorite is the Index corner. It was very easy to understand. It was organized very well, and the attendants in the booths were very kind and gentle. I saw many new things I have never seen before, but I learned they were also based on the tradition of Japan. It was very interesting. Thank you for giving us such an occasion. I'll bring back the samples to New York, and prepare earlier for next season's collection.

Mr. Tatsuya Shida Graduated from Nagoya Mode Academy, I'm working mainly in Gifu prefecture. I visited JFW-JC for the first time. By listening to the explanations given at the booths, I understood that a very high technology is used. In a certain booth, I was interested in piles, particularly moving items and light items. In particular, those looking heavy but weighing light. In the show of next March, I'll make everything in Japan, including materials and sewing.

Mr. Sachio Kawasaki To prepare for Saint Martin Graduate Collection, I was concentrated on making of original fabrics by exchanging opinions with factories. In the show of next March, I'm planning to exhibit the knit by making the fabric from the very beginning of yarns, and I'm particularly inspecting yarns. On the other hand, I was surprised at the variety of synthetic fiber yarns such as polyester that I have used rarely so far, and I'm going to use synthetic fibers as well.

Forum: Ethical Fashion
Ethical fashion bridges between ecology and mode.

Ms Chieko Watanabe, president of Avanti, winning Mainichi Fashion Award 2008 for evaluation of activities in spread of organic cotton, reported that chemicals used in planting of cotton are giving critical effects on the human health and the environment. Another serious matter is the labor problem. In India, according to President Watanabe, children are forced to work in cotton fields. "My opinion is that business standing on the human sacrifice does exist,' she said. Editor Ikoma follows: "Today, the ecological and ethical element is now indispensable for the fashion cycle."

Forum: Eco Fashion Next vision developing from LOHAS business Ms Ryoko Okano, coordinator at Tokyo Lifestyles Institute, Inc. proposes to bring the spirit of "natural" to every scene of fashion, and requests to spread the keyword "natural" to the fashion scenes. Ms Okano explained by introducing various items and presentations of the fashion industry conforming to the ecology, and emphasized, "Proposals applicable to both private scene and public scene are needed," in the promoting world of natural life. In future, in order to link the ecology and fashion in the lifestyle concept, she continues, "The attitude of reality and real size suited to the size of individuals is important."

Impression of FORM PRESENTATION
Mr. Homma
Students are commonly "diligent," and are highly interested in making clothes.
Mr. Tsunuki
I wish the students to continue to work to manufacture products satisfied by majority of people, by keeping balance between sensibility and technology.
Mr. Sakamoto
Having one's own standard of value will lead to creation of originality.

Panel
Mr. Masaaki Homma, designer of mastermind JAPAN
Mr. Toshimitsu Tsunuki, representative of Sayama Home Work Co., Ltd.
Mr. Takao Sakamoto, executive director of Fujiitex Plan Team
Coordinator
Tadao Takeuchi, representative of Studio Avenir

JFW-JC Designer Collaboration
Ms Naomi Yamamoto, tiny dinosaur
I'm a repeater for a couple of years lately. As compared with the beginning of the exhibition, it is much easier to see. Technical changes are striking and unexpected. I enjoyed the show. Collaboration works were very tight in schedule, and limited in the time of discussion, but we could exchange opinions by telephone and e-mail. Products were completed exactly as we imagined. It was very interesting and exciting. I wanted to have more chance to talk with loomers. I learned lots of new things. The collaboration partner, Asuwa-Kogyosho, happened to be the firm I knew when I was working with Issey Miyake. An interesting coincidence. Denim is my specialty, but Mr. Shinohara suggested a new approach different from my denim, and it was a very nice experience, and I enjoyed it a lot.

The pair from writtenafterwards

PIGGY'S SPECIAL Designer Collection
Mr. Kentaro Tamai, Mr. Yoshikazu Yamagata, writenafterwards
We participated in PIGGY'S SPECIAL Designer Collection for the first time. In fact, we never used leather in other items than small accessories, and first we tried to handle it like other cloth, but the sewing was different, and the expression changed depending on the location of use, the same pattern as of cloth could not be used, the handling was difficult, and it was the first experience for use. The most surprising point was the variety of processing and technology, and the highness of technology. In fact the time was short, and we wish to challenge again, if possible, by exchanging communications more closely. It is far from development into product, but we feel a certain possibility.
JFW-JC is much easier to see than before. The exhibits are clearly grouped, and it is easier to focus. Considering the situation of collaboration with business zone participating enterprises, when the collaboration zone is installed within the atrium, it seems a different impression from the previous JFW-JC will be enjoyed, and the interest to the booth may be enhanced.

I have been visiting JFW-JC every time since I returned from England. I had no network with textile makers in Japan, and it is not efficient to visit showrooms by investigating the directory. JFW-JC is a great help for me because fabrics from many makers can be seen at one place. I skipped the Index Corner, and watched every booth to find something attractive for me. Displays in the Index Corner are merely sample fabrics from the manufacturer, and I may find something interesting in the individual booths.
This time, I was given a chance to participate in the designer collaboration, and created different versions from my previous works by using textiles and colors I have never used before. It was an exciting experience. The suit made from long-size tweed is a new idea. Formerly, I used different fabrics in the top and the bottom, but when I found the tweed, I knew that's it! I made it into a suit. In Yamazaki's textile, the outer is a warm kilt in the same color as the inner. The print is a first attempt for me--it is the collaboration with Omoto Dyeing.