Journal
Kalevala x AKIKOAOKI
runway show in Tokyo
Last week at Tokyo Creative Salon, the largest fashion and design event in Japan, Kalevala's jewelry pieces were presented to an international audience and press as part of the runway show of the Tokyo-based fashion brand AKIKOAOKI. In this styling collaboration, AKIKOAOKI's looks were complemented with Kalevala's wearable sculptures, including the iconic Planetoid Valleys necklace and Gelo earrings designed by artist Björn Weckström as well as the Alluring earrings created by the designer duo Juslin-Maunula.
AKIKOAOKI sees the act of "dressing" as a cultural tool to communicate with society and the times, while expressing the way of life and attitude of the person wearing the clothes. Similarly, Kalevala’s pieces are not just jewelry, but wearable sculptures that make everyday life more sophisticated.
Inspired by each other's philosophy, this styling collaboration came to fruition because AKIKOAOKI's collection and Kalevala's history and items complimented each other so beautifully.
"As times change, I believe that both my brand and I should have a philosophy that never changes, but at the same time, we should be flexible and evolve. In Kalevala's 86-year history, they have worked with a variety of designers to create contemporary designs, and I share Kalevala's commitment to conveying a strong message about the world through its Jewelry”, tells Akiko Aoki.
AKIKOAOKI's garments reconstruct the shape of the female body and reveal a silhouette only when the wearer actually wears the clothes, and Kalevala's jewelry feature innovative designs that symbolize the inner strength that women possess. Wearing each other's pieces, this complementary collaboration brings together each other's architectural shapes with the strength of women.
Capturing the fantasy hidden in reality with an essential sense of style. This Japanese fashion brand sees fashion as an act of living itself, and proposes clothes that reflect the way of life and attitude of the person wearing them.
Website https://www.akikoaoki.com/
Instagram @akikoaoki_official
Akiko Aoki
Akiko Aoki was born in Tokyo in 1986, graduated from Joshibi University of Art and Design in 2009, and studied fashion at Central Saint Martins in London.
After returning to Japan, she worked as an assistant at a collection brand before starting her own womenswear brand "AKIKOAOKI" in 2014. In October of the same year, she presented her 2015SS collection at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week TOKYO.
In February 2018, she was nominated for the LVMH Young Fashion Designers Prize Short List, and in November of the same year, she won the Mainichi Fashion Grand Prix Newcomer Award and Shiseido Incentive Award, as well as Vogue Japan's "Rising Star of the Year" award, given to support a new generation of women active in the fashion scene in Japan and abroad.
In 2022, she received the TOKYO FASHION AWARD 2023.
Tokyo Creative Salon
Tokyo Creative Salon (TCS) is an unparalleled creative festival held simultaneously with Fashion Week and Design Week.
The vision of TCS is to make Tokyo the world's most creative city. A creative city is a place where there are "places, opportunities, and stimuli" to encourage creative behavior among all people, regardless of occupation. TCS is held every year in the spring season when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, with the aim of making Tokyo one of the world's leading fashion and design cities through co-creation and cross-boundary cooperation among companies, government, industry organizations, and community groups.
TCS24 I TOKYO CREATIVE SALON 2024
March 14 ~24, 2024
Areas：Marunouchi, Nihonbashi, Ginza, Yurakucho, Akasaka, Roppongi, Shibuya, Harajuku, Shinjuku, Haneda
Organizer：Tokyo Creative Salon
Follow the event on Instagram
https://tokyo-creativesalon.com
Come and meet us in Tokyo
Our new Tokyo pop-up shop at the prestigious NEWoMan SHINJUKU department store is open until Sunday March 24. If you find yourself in Tokyo this week, make sure to pay us a visit and discover our handmade jewelry pieces in person.
Kalevala pop-up 11.–24.3.2024
NEWoMan SHINJUKU 2F, Tokio
Mon-Sat 11:00–20:30
Sunday 11:00–20:00
