The Japan Society Annual Dinner for 2010 was held on Monday, 25th January 2010 at the Grosvenor House, Park Lane. The night was a huge success with over 250 guests seated in the ballroom treated to a wonderful meal and a fashion extravaganza!

This year’s Dinner featured a fashion show that was curated for the Society by the internationally award-winning young composer, creative director and producer Phillip Neil Martin to celebrate the best in Japanese fashion design and its influence in the UK.

The show referenced famed Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake and his influence on younger Japanese designers and the influence of Japanese aesthetics and design on non-Japanese designers in the UK.

With pieces from Issey Miyake’s collection showing alongside work by younger established designers such as Jen Kao, Alyssia Burridge, Bao Ta, Olga Papadopolus and Derek Lawlor, connecting to Darren Cabon (former Miyake apprentice and Course Director for MA Fashion Design and Technology at London College of Fashion) and former students from the London College of Fashion Natsumi Zama, Julia Kroner and Keiko Kida.

The show featured a team of professional stylists, hair and make up artists, photographers and a DJ which added to the occasion greatly.

The themes running through the collections were eclectic but fascinating, from Julia’ Kroner’s collection inspired by ‘The Romance of a Japanese-Bavarian Geisha and her Napoleonic Lover’ to more traditional Japanese themes such as origami and Kimono.

The show was followed by toasts and speeches and the presentation of the Japan Society Awards for 2009. This year Awards were presented to Professor David Cope and the Reverend Professor Kemmyo Taira Sato, accepted on his behalf by his wife Hiroko Sato. Further details of the awards and full citations can be found here.

We are very grateful to JTI and Think London for their support of the Annual Dinner which enabled us to offer discounted tickets to all members and a further discount to members under 30, ensuring that the event was enjoyed by everyone.