matohu is not just any ordinary name for a fashion brand. It is actually a Japanese concept with two meanings:

1. To wear clothes in such a way that it creates an atmosphere of beauty, like the motion of wrapping your body softly, and leaving a gentle afterglow.

2. The sense of restraint, allowing oneself to mature, like a fruit, slowly, and not to consume something hastily and throw it away.

Ever since they started the brand in 2005, designers Hiroyuki Horihata and Makiko Sekiguchi have successfully captured the essence of both meanings. Each collection is always based on and inspired by an ancient Japanese handicraft. This year it was Oribe-yaki (see photos), a Japanese pottery style known for its beautiful green copper glaze.

Another returning aspect of the brand are the unisex kimono-inspired coats. The duo has reinvented the kimono by making it wearable for everyday occasions. Their creations are elegant, fresh, and feature new shapes. They are made in such a way that they can be easily combined with garments from past collections.

Both designers were pattern makers before starting matohu. This background is reflected in the brand always showing new prints and patterns which are inspired by the ancient craft.

To top the tribute to Oribe-yaki, matohu showed the green patterned collection on a runway staged in separated areas, as if each part was a traditional Japanese chashitsu tea room.