Los Angeles-based, Japan-born and world-renowned fashion designer Tadashi Shoji finally visited the Philippines in October together with some of his most stunning gowns and dresses from the latest Tadashi Fall collection.

Homegrown retail brand Rustan’s flew in the designer and his works for a fashion gala held at The Peninsula Manila Hotel on October 24. The fashion show which took almost two decades to ensue (Rustan’s has been a retailer of Tadashi since 1993) excited Manila’s fashion scene with the artist’s sheer display of genius.

Making the event more meaningful was an auction of three special-edition dresses handpicked by Shoji himself for the benefit of the Philippine Red Cross.

‘Golden Age of Shanghai’
Before the big night, Shoji was able to sit with select print media representatives for an intimate press conference. Over lunch, the founder, president and designer of fashion house Tadashi, shared the inspiration for the collection he was about to present in Manila for the very first time.

“I was inspired by the Golden Age of Shanghai,” began the 64-year-old designer. “I took inspiration from a lot of print, motif, embroidery and lace during this period for my long gowns.” According to him, his chosen period spanned the 1920s to 1930s.

“I lived in Shanghai [almost] all my life. That is why I was inspired by their way of life. I drew inspirations from the places and the people,” Shoji further revealed.

The results of his rich experience, as Shoji described, are an assembly of “glamorous dresses” on opulent fabrics of Chantilly lace, chiffon, silk and velvet, with accentuations in the form of embroidery, peony floral prints, and heavy beading.

The pieces came in silhouettes of drop waist dresses, column gowns and longer hemlines. As for the shades, brilliant marina and sea grass were complemented by the neutral hues of ginseng and hazel.

In all his designs, Shoji ensures he not only makes women look beautiful, but also feel beautiful. He does so by making sure that his clothes, no matter how glamorous, are comfortable.

“Comfort and cut are certainly the signature of a Shoji gown,” he shared. “I pay attention to the cut [of a dress] to make them very comfortable.”

Shoji also shared a secret formula he has used for the longest time in terms of guaranteeing comfort. He revealed, “I am fond of using soft fabrics for my clothes. But for the lining, I sew stretch jersey.” This fabric allows ease in movement.

However, Shoji also stated that other designers were starting to discover his secret and now used the same fabric he employed.

The Oscar affair
Since establishing his personal brand in 1982, Shoji’s venture in the fashion world proved to be the right path to pursue. Today, the London-based company is carried in more than 4,000 major department and specialty stores worldwide, including Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, and Macy’s.

In addition to a thriving wholesale business, Tadashi maintains its own retail operations with two signature boutiques in the United States—one in the prestigious South Coast Plaza and another in Forum Shops at Caesars in Las Vegas.

In the international entertainment scene, Shoji also enjoys a reputed name. He has dressed many of Hollywood’s A-listers like Kate Beckingsale, Shakira, Tyra Banks, Deborah Messing, Emmy Rossum,

Kate Walsh, Sara Ramirez and Octavia Spencer.

Shoji, however, cited dressing Spencer as his best experience in Hollywood by far. “Octavia Spencer was the most appreciative [among all the personalities I dressed],” he stated.

Wearing an elegant white short-sleeved beaded gown to the 84th Annual Academy Awards, Spencer won the 2012 Best Supporting Actress Oscar for the film The Help. More importantly, she landed on the best-dressed lists of major fashion savvy groups—proof, to Tadashi Shoji’s genius.

Tadashi Shoji is exclusively available at Rustan’s Makati and Shangri-la Plaza.