At Rakuten Fashion Week TOKYO, designer Rimu Asatō unveiled her label pays des fées’ 2025-26 Autumn/Winter Collection, presented at Koishikawa Hospital Studio. The collection marks a collaboration with horror manga artist Junji Ito, using his debut manga Tomie as its primary reference point.
The collection, titled “Division,” draws from the core concept of Tomie—a woman who, despite being repeatedly killed, regenerates endlessly. Asatō has cited Tomie as a longstanding influence on her work, particularly in how the character represents a complex vision of girlhood and feminine power.
Models dressed in garments referencing Tomie moved through a medical-themed set designed to resemble an abandoned hospital. The space included surgical rooms and nurse stations, creating a controlled environment for the show’s narrative. Across 21 looks, the collection featured printed jackets, dresses, skirts, and sweats that incorporated imagery such as eyes, tentacles, sea creatures, moths, and flowers. These visuals were designed to convey the central idea of fragmentation and replication.
The collection combined references from Taishō-era girl illustrations by artists like Takabatake Kashō and Yumeji Takehisa with elements drawn from 20th-century Western horror, including motifs associated with the Cthulhu Mythos. Fabrics included jacquard, satin, and organza, used to contrast soft textures with more unsettling visual elements.
Key pieces included a jacquard bustier with a heart-shaped front and a satin dress modeled after Tomie’s depiction in Ito’s The Babysitter. Other items, such as the “Ice Cream Bath” dress, introduced retro color palettes and silhouettes reminiscent of the 1960s, layered with horror-inspired prints.
Accessories like oversized scarves, chain belts with tassels, and hoodies with ribbon detailing were used to extend the themes of distortion and repetition across both dressy and casual pieces.
Following the presentation, Asatō and Ito attended a short press appearance. Asatō noted that the idea of “beauty with an unsettling undertone” had long informed her approach to design, crediting Ito’s manga as a formative influence. Ito, attending a fashion show for the first time, remarked on the collection’s visual approach and expressed interest in potential future collaborations.
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