From the pioneering work of couturier Hanae Mori, to the radical, all-black rebellion of Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto, and the experimentation of Issey Miyake, Japanese designers have consistently upended fashion conventions. Their work reimagines tradition, pushes materials to their limits, reinvents construction, and reshapes the dialogue between body and dress.
NGV curator Charlotte Botica introduces a new focused fashion display at NGV International that features fifty-eight works from the NGV Collection that highlight the remarkable influence and impact of Japanese designers on global fashion practice from the late 1970s to today.
This program is part of Melbourne Design Week 2026. View the full program
Charlotte Botica is Assistant Curator, Fashion and Textiles at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV). She holds an Associate Degree in Fashion Design and Technology (RMIT University), Bachelor of Textile Design (Massey University) and Masters of Cultural Heritage and Museum Studies (Deakin University).