UK-BORN fashion designer Hana Tajima’s ability to encapsulate rich cultural diversity into contemporary and functional clothing has proven herself time and time again in each of her collaborations with the Japanese retail giant Uniqlo.
This Autumn/Winter 2020, they continue to capture the beauty in all women and to get in touch with their feelings while expressing their personal identity, regardless of age, race, culture or religious belief.
The collection aptly named “Wearing Our Personal Stories”, explores the dualities in the multifaceted identities existing in all of us; our masculinity alongside our femininity, our extrovert and our introvert natures.
“I wanted to make clothes where each part of me felt recognised, where I didn’t have to feel like I was hiding some part of myself,” Tajima explained.
It’s about the simplest designs embracing the most thoughtful and modern details yet able to bring about a sense of composure and confidence to every woman. These are clothes that are non-restricting and comfortable, made to adapt flexibly and fit constantly changing moods and bodies.
She added: “We women are constantly adapting to change. I want clothing that is always a part of myself, items that are able to shift freely and easily from one style to something else while retaining comfort. By focusing on form over decoration, I want these clothes to redefine what it is to be feminine, to let our own personal stories be the stories we wear.
“I’ve worn clothes from many cultures. I’ve used them to try to better see the Japanese part of me. I’ve worn salwar kameez, abaya and kaftans given to me by friends when I became Muslim. I wore family hand-me-downs and black patent leather heels.
“Whether it was the faded print of a cotton t-shirt belonging to my brother, or the delicate beading on a sari, each piece was beautiful. And while they allowed me to dress one version of my character, they also obscured another.”
The Uniqlo X Hana Tajima Autumn/Winter 2020 collection is available beginning Aug 7.
