Understanding the Mystique of MIKAGE SHIN. Known for her refined yet imaginative designs, we visit MIKAGE SHIN’s studio to get a glimpse of where her creations are brought to life.
Titled “GAME CHANGER,” MIKAGE SHIN presents a collection that embraces going against the current. Although the term itself is often used in a more sporty context, Shin also dives into the different power players in our world right now that disrupt traditional market trends and rules. This time, instead of going with the current and embracing the future, she pays tribute to the past. The collection itself looks classic and romantic yet oozes cool-kid energy.
Present in this collection are the designer’s signature pleats, structured silhouettes, romanticism, and opulent fabric choices, but also new explorations with vivid graphics, denim, tromle-l’œil, and lamé thread hand-cut jacquard, to name a few. All this is done by the local artisans she works with in her mission to create an “enigmatic person” that’s emphasized through refined craftsmanship.
To dive deeper into the world of Mikage Shin, we visit the young designer’s studio in Aoyama. At first glance, her studio building was a wonder, with a glass exterior that made the building seem transparent from the front view. A highlight is that a slithery silver sculpture trails its way from being display racks on its mezzanine floor to becoming railways for the stairs that lead to the lower ground floor. As we enter the studio, the designer walks down the stairs to greet and welcome us warmly.
Photographed by Vanya Harapan. Image courtesy of DEW Magazine.
First, she shows us around the store’s retail area, filled with items from her recent previous collections. From casual pieces like sweatshirts and tees to head-turners like asymmetrical jackets, jacquard blouses, and pleated coats, the designer toured us through a physicalisation of her portfolio. As she explains her favorite pieces on display, it’s fascinating to see just how much thought and care she has for each garment; a spark of excitement as she explains to us how the ideas came to be or about a new textile development she discovered.
After showing us the showroom of the building, she leads us upstairs to her workspace, showing us her works in progress, sketchbooks, and a plethora of references. When brainstorming a new collection, the designer tends to look into the main pillars of interest: art history, social issues, and the world around her. Beyond just looking at images and visual references, the designer takes time to go through research papers and further explorations across her fields of interest. To her, this fixation for learning history comes from her curiosity about how people lived in the past and how they were able to find happiness and better their way of life. On the other hand, her focus on social issues comes from her multicultural background, being raised in a melting pot of social cultures.
This time, her pin of interest drops to Great Britain, “What was found peculiar in London was interesting for me. It’s a bit kitsch and cute, exuding nude-ish tendencies in its cultural elements. In music and art, there are a lot of muscles and other physical masculinities. I found that it’s very similar to today’s Japanese boys; mood. So I tried to translate the core aesthetic of the brand to mix with the little-bit-delicate-and-soft aesthetic.”
During the process of creating this collection, there was a struggle to choose between exploring a new aesthetic and enhancing the signature aesthetic they’ve been continuously building. However, after a lengthy development and trial process, the designer has found a middle ground. Instead of blending two of these contrasting concepts into a smooth singular innovation, she embraces the clash by creating juxtapositions, deconstructed elements meeting lush jacquard; tassels, and fringes meeting with cotton and lace.
But despite the struggle, Shin shares that she’s never really struggled with finding new ideas, and instead, she might have the problem of having too many! “Actually, I’ve never felt a lack of inspiration yet,” shares the designer smilingly. “Because there are many ideas I want to create, and I’m still filled with many ideas, so it’s more difficult for me to reduce my collections from every season!”
As she closes the book of fabric samples and tidies up the sketches found on her work table, she starts opening up about her workspace, “Everything of this office I really love and I wanted to make this place a little bit casual, comfy, and heartwarming – family style, like it doesn’t feel like an office.” And cozy it is. With a long shared desk and comfy single couches lining up the studio room, the space almost felt like a lounging area in a library, as books, magazines and folders lining up one wall, while the opposite side was a mirror, giving the room a more spacious effect. “The shelves are kind of my brains and the table is my heart, especially this table! It’s very special and I designed this table with an architect so I really tried playing with metals and glass so I try to embody my aesthetic in this office and. Also I really love chairs, so I certainly choose different ones for each seat.”
Photographed by Vanya Harapan. Image courtesy of DEW Magazine.
As the table is cleared and the designer sits back down, this time in a more relaxed manner, she starts sharing more about the more personal aspect of the brand. Although the designer is still young and has a soft-spoken personality, it’s admirable how tough and driven she is when it comes to building her brand. With that being said, we can’t help but ask what advice she would give to young designers who are aiming to pursue the same goals she is.
“It depends on individuals and their situations, but one thing I can firmly say is that it requires hard work, and I find that opportunities always come when you are not ready,” Shin advises, “However if you push yourself a little and try, even if you have to stretch yourself a little. you can gradually raise your own limits as you progress, and you can get better and better.”
Mikage Shin has also captured the attention of various international media, which helped spike interest in her creations while giving her designs an added value of credibility. Of course, this feat is not something easily obtained, yet something about her designs seems to appeal even to those outside her local audience. In her opinion, “I guess the philosophy of the brand attracts people, but I think more importantly, the people in the international market genuinely appreciate the unique design of my brand, especially tailoring.” This is evident in how her best-selling pieces are all ones with asymmetrical tailoring, multi-way features, and specifically, her signature pleated trench coat.
Photographed by Vanya Harapan. Image courtesy of DEW Magazine.
Her dedication to her work and building her brand comes from a deep-rooted passion for fashion that started all the way back when she was a student. “I really love fashion,” she says, beginning to tell us how she started out. “My mother sent me to a four-year university. So, I really had no choice but to pursue a career in fashion, where only a handful of people succeed.” Knowing this risk, the designer decided to work in an office after graduation. “As I worked in a company, I realized, you know, there are many colleagues and seniors who are better suited for the job. But I only cared about bringing my fashion and design ideas. And I had a strong confidence in my creativity,” explaining how she decided to take the big leap to resign and start her own brand.
“Because fashion shapes me,” she continues. What I really love about fashion is that fashion changes identity; fashion changes yourself. It brings genuine happiness and self-confidence.”
Mikage Shin Photographed by Vanya Harapan. Image courtesy of DEW Magazine.
Circling back to when she was younger, she tells us that her love and fascination for fashion started after her mother’s divorce, which led to her having an identity crisis. As she started experimenting with fashion, she started to feel more confident about herself while also feeling more assured about who she was. “Whatever you want to be, you can be, through fashion. Little by little, not just from the surface-level appearance, but also the inside can be shaped by confidence and fashion. So [fashion] can be an armor for myself.” (Text Vanya Harapan)