PARIS, Sep 30, 2007 / FW/ --- Celebrating his second runway show in Paris, Japanese designer Minagawa decided to have a birthday party in the country during an idyllic summer day complete with a grand piano.

Opening with a model who was humming while she was cutting her blue shift dress with a pair of scissors, Minagawa immediately intrigued the audience specially that everyone was taken by surprise to the point that you can hear a pin drop.

Hence, there was a collection ‘Ahh!’ when the model dropped a piece of cloth she had cut from her dress to reveal a white butterfly print, the logo of Mina Perhonen. As it turned out, the first model was the introduction to the show, because right after she exited the runway, piano music filled the airwaves, courtesy of a live piano player in the venue.

What followed was a succession of very wearable dresses and Capri-length trousers that was perfect for an idyllic summer in the country. Soft, light and romantic, Mina Perhonen’s vision of women emanates a certain innocence reminiscent of the pre-World War II era, except that the silhouette is modern and fitted for today.

Sleeveless shift dresses that are ‘forgiving’ to the figure, i.e., you don’t have to be a size zero to wear it; embellishments are subtle, like the big buttons on the placket of a V-neck black dress and blue rabbit appliqué on a sleeveless beige dress.

And, like the embellishments, the innovation was also very subtle, though it was shown on the very first exit – the model cutting off pieces of cloth from her dress.

Closer inspection revealed that the dress is actually made up of two layers. Spread evenly throughout the material are prints of the white butterfly hidden by the second layer of fabric. As exemplified by the model, a wearer can cut off any of the ‘circular’ guide to create her own pattern of butterflies to adorn the dress.

In the current fashion atmosphere of ‘individualization’ and the predilection of fashionistas to be ‘unique’ in terms of clothing, Minagawa’s vision of personalization of a garment hits the right note.

Thus the different renditions of ‘Happy Birthday’ during the show made sense, especially when the guest receive the ‘gift’ at the end of the show, a porcelain ornament with a butterfly print and a short note that said, ‘Happy Birth Today,’ as if the designer is heralding a new way to dress, like what he had proposed.

Minagawa, who does not follow trends and leans more towards experimentation relies on local artisans of his native Japan for his creations, belongs to that small group of designers wherein artistry is first and foremost.

Not bothered by big business’ penchant for watching the bottom line or following the market trend, Minagawa came out with an artistic collection that is also commercially viable.

Only on his second presentation here in Paris, Mina Perhonen is not yet one of the hot tickets in town but he had already aroused the curiosity and interest of the edgy fashion group in the City of Lights.

Mina Perhonen

Mina Perhonen

Mina Perhonen

Mina Perhonen

Mina Perhonen

Mina Perhonen