Alice Auaa

Alice Auaa is a Japanese fashion design label who began in 1995 although the founder, Yasutaka Funakoshi, began designing two years earlier. Their work is a combination of punk, goth and post-apocalyptic with influences of Lolita.

Most of the pieces associated with the Alice Auaa label are black or white and contain sculptured silhouettes along with lace, leather and wool. They focus of duality and contradiction including light and dark and juxtaposition of fabrics as well as surreal inspiration to create eye-catching designs.

The Tokyo Spring 2013 collection by Yasutaka Funakoshi/ Alice Auaa featured a number of Alice In Wonderland inspired pieces, all following a young girls adventures after falling down a rabbit hole in the pursuit of a white rabbit. The models emerged from the fog at the back of the catwalk wearing everything from lace covered corsets to gothic Victorian dresses. Tattered hoop skirts torn right through to the legs were featured and added an eerie and unnerving take on the traditional tale. The outfit that portrayed Alice herself, was a white maid-style dress with a small apron on the front. The modest piece featured large puff sleeves, a very volumised skirt and a large collar.

Two stand out pieces include a full body red tartan suit with a long snake-like tube that wrapped around the body, held up by straps to the shoulders. The top appears to link around the front and both arms, holding them in place. Another was a male model wearing white tights with a strange snake skin print on them and a harness that travelled from their neck to in between their legs. Attached to his was a pole where large metal frames in the shape of playing cards where held above their head.

Alice Auaa is an interesting label that fuses traditional and modern in a strange and unfamiliar yet nostalgic way. Yasutaka Funakoshi has a way of telling a story through his pieces, both ready to wear and catwalk exclusive. The alternative styles shine through in the gothic twist on vintage fashion in a way I've never seen done before.