ANREALAGE Homme, the men’s line from designer Kunihiko Morinaga, delivered a standout second season at Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo, Spring/Summer 2025. Held at the Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium on September 7, the collection was a nostalgic journey that looked to the past, contrasting with the futuristic themes of the main ANREALAGE brand. This season delved even deeper into Morinaga’s memories, evoking a playful innocence while addressing more complex themes of dialogue and connection.
A Journey into the Past
While ANREALAGE often gazes forward, ANREALAGE Homme is rooted in the past. The collection extended beyond the previous season’s focus on 2000s Harajuku, where stylist TEPPEI served as a muse. This season reached further back, drawing inspiration from Morinaga’s childhood, before he even began designing clothes. This introspective journey set the foundation for many of the season’s designs, blending warmth and nostalgia with a touch of whimsy.
The opening look, a soft purple suit adorned with pearls, set the nostalgic tone for the show. From knitwear featuring childlike motifs to vivid pink jackets with intricate multicolored details, the collection playfully blended elements of vintage styles from various eras—1950s rockabilly, 1970s punk, and 1990s streetwear. Morinaga reimagined these styles through ANREALAGE Homme’s distinct lens, creating lighthearted and whimsical interpretations of past trends.
Nostalgia Meets Handcrafted Details
Morinaga’s use of handcrafting also stood out this season. Jackets were intricately adorned with pearls, while knitwear featured bead embroidery, infusing functional menswear with a decorative charm. This attention to detail, a signature of ANREALAGE, lent a spiritual quality to the garments, akin to a “prayer” in material form—a theme that has subtly threaded through Morinaga’s collections.
One of the collection’s standout pieces was a blue-and-orange knit sweater, featuring the word “Friend” and an illustration of children. Inspired by an anonymous vintage item from the 1980s, the design captured a handmade, unpolished charm that served as a key inspiration for the season. This nostalgic simplicity called to mind the music of THE BLUE HEARTS, particularly their song “Aozora,” which Morinaga used in the show. He approached Masatoshi Mashima, a former member of THE BLUE HEARTS, to create a piano and child’s voice cover of the track, adding another layer of nostalgia to the collection.
The second track in the show, “TOO MUCH PAIN,” also by THE BLUE HEARTS, underscored the emotional depth of the collection. Morinaga reflected on the profound impact the band had on him during his childhood, shaping his perspective on the world. This emotional connection mirrored the collection’s exploration of how the past informs our present perceptions.
A Prayer for Dialogue
In his 2020 book A to Z: The Fashion of ANREALAGE, Morinaga explored the philosophical concept of dialectics—resolving contradictions between opposing elements to reach a higher state. This idea is evident in ANREALAGE Homme’s designs, where contrasts between warmth and simplicity, innocence and complexity, are harmonized. The collection evokes a sense of dialogue between the past and present, with pieces like layered mesh sleeves and crewneck knits adorned with the word “Friend” and an illustration of a boy and girl holding hands.
In many ways, ANREALAGE Homme’s journey back to the past feels like a “prayer” for dialogue—seeking conversation, resolution, and connection.
ANREALAGE Homme’s Future in Tokyo
While ANREALAGE continues to present collections in Paris, ANREALAGE Homme remains firmly rooted in Tokyo. Morinaga expressed his commitment to maintaining a connection with the city, especially after opening a store in Harajuku. He noted that while Paris is often seen as the pinnacle of fashion, Tokyo holds a special vibrancy that he is unwilling to abandon.
For Morinaga, Harajuku in the 2000s and Tokyo as a whole were rich with cultural energy, and this spirit continues to fuel his work. As ANREALAGE Homme completed its second consecutive finale at Tokyo Fashion Week, the brand solidified its unique vision and its promise to continue invigorating the city’s fashion scene in the seasons to come.
With a blend of playfulness, nostalgia, and a deeper call for connection, ANREALAGE Homme’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection stands as a tribute to the power of looking back while moving forward.
https://www.instagram.com/anrealage_official
https://www.facebook.com/ANREALAGE
