SS2025 Collection Story

Nanafu's Spring/Summer 2025 collection has the theme of "Japonism."

Japonisme (French for "Japonism") refers to the influence of Japanese culture in the arts that became popular in Europe in the 19th century.

Japan opened its doors to the world after the arrival of the Black Ships led by Perry in 1853. Japan's first exhibit at the Paris World's Fair in 1867 and official participation by the Japanese government in the Vienna World's Fair in 1873 led to Japanese arts and crafts becoming more widely known around the world.

Ukiyo-e prints by artists such as Katsushika Hokusai were particularly popular in France, and many painters and artists incorporated these trends into their works, including perspective, composition, use of props, and color schemes.

Hokusai Katsushika's Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

Famous artists include Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet, and Van Gogh left behind works such as "Plum Blossoms," a copy of Hiroshige Utagawa's "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo: The Plum Shop at Kameido," and "Old Man Tanguy," which features a series of ukiyo-e prints in the background.

Hiroshige Utagawa's "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo: The Plum Shop in Kameido" and his copy of Van Gogh's "Plum Blossoms"

Monet used his wife as a model for "La Japonaise," depicting her kimono, pose, folding fans, and other aspects of her figure, as well as his masterpiece "Water Lilies," which are said to have been influenced by Japan.

Van Gogh's "Old Man Tanguy" and Monet's "La Japonaise"

(The above images are from Wikipedia etc.)

In the Nanafu Spring/Summer collection, we propose a fusion of Japanese and Western cultures, as well as new ways of wearing and enjoying Japanese clothing, just as Japonism was born during this era when Japanese culture was fused with Western culture. We hope you enjoy the unique and colorful colors, the sense of depth, and the sense of exhilaration.