Fashion Influencers of Asia: Interview with designer Lia from Tokyo Kaleidoscope

A few months ago I decided to take my business on the road and embark on a trip to Asia. My objective was to find out more about the fashion industry in that specific part of the world, by connecting with bloggers, influencers, photographers, designers, and all kinds of people involved in shaping the fashion scene in cities like Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Bangkok.

I ended up interviewing a really cool bunch of entrepreneurs, bloggers, fashion designers and instagrammers who allowed me to pick their brains and acquire a more in-depth look into what fashion really means in Asia and how things actually work.

My first interview was with Lia from Tokyo Kaleidoscope, an eco-friendly fashion label based out of Tokyo where she up-cycles kimonos into custom-ordered, tailor-made dresses, each one completely unique in style given that they are sourced from vintage kimonos.

Her idea came about from a desire to wear garments that were unique to her and that would really stand out from what was already available in womenswear. Her business grew organically from within her own community of friends being interested in what she was doing for herself, thus attracting more and more people to her brand.

Working with kimonos can be a challenge, given that there are limitations as to the prints and sizes of the pieces of fabric available, for example, a client might really like a print they see on a piece of clothing, however that same print is impossible to replicate because it came from a kimono that was already made years ago. So, one of the main elements in the work that she does with her brand involves a lot of personalised work with the customer, making sure that they will find a print and fabric that they like and feel is unique for them.

Lia is from Australia, so it was very interesting to me to try and find out her take on Western Bloggers vs Asian Bloggers and all the little differences that make up the actual fashion scene in Japan. Watch the video until the end to find out more.

I hope you enjoy it and make sure you follow Lia on Twitter and Instagram, and check out her website to look at all the beautiful dresses www.tokyokaleidoscope.com.

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