Fall for Natori

For over four decades in the business, Natori has been known for how it highlights the East and West cultures.

It’s the East meets West aesthetic — accentuated in rich-patterned fabrics and distinct prints from different cultures, fusing them into one collection.

Josie Natori’s Fall 2019 Ready-to-Wear collection brings out the influence of multi-cultural fashion and heritage through its new but timeless pieces that exude utmost elegance and luxurious fashion.

For over four decades in the business, Natori has been known for how it highlights the East and West cultures. “(In this collection] we just exhibit different cultures. So, some are mixing the prints to the more Asian-Chinese colors like red and black and then there’s a lot of floral,” Josie Natori said.

“It’s multi-cultural and every season, the east-west sensibility is there,” she added.

FROM left: Rustan’s chairman and CEO Nedy Tantoco, Ching Cruz, Rustan’s member of the Board Maritess Tantoco Enriquez and Cathy Binag.

The Fall 2019 RTW collection offers flattering silhouettes full of eclectic embellishments and elegant patchwork. Key pieces are the kimono blouses, which are Natori’s signature pieces, transformed into bold statements highlighting flowing sleeves.

Along with the kimonos are stunning ensembles fit for glamorous everyday life; from coats to dresses in silk and rich fabrics with distinct and sharp tailoring, to a new line of accessories (not yet launched in the Philippines) to complete the look.

“We’ve been doing this for 42 years. I think the customers just come in and learn that our prints are distinct and all original, mixing of patterns that I think is vibrant. I think the customers just come season after season looking for something new, whether it’s our color palette or our embroideries or the jacquards that we have,” she opined.

Natori’s Fall 2019 RTW collection is more casual, chic and focuses on effortless fashion experience.

With women on-the-go in mind, the new collection bridges the gap of comfort and exoticism that includes kimono sleeve toppers, caftan tops and wedge-shaped dresses. Compared to the Josie Natori line, the color palette in Natori is monochromatic and milder in design.

GUESTS donning colorful and floral patterned clothes.

“It was obvious to me that it was only a matter of time that the lifestyle concept of Natori would evolve into a full ready-to-wear collection,” she said. “It’s through our manufacturing that we have been able to expand Natori into a ready-to-wear collection of its own.”

The latest collection also features seasonless fabrics like matte jersey, bi-stretch and silky soft crepes.

According to Natori, a lot has changed in the fashion industry since she started. “Social media is a game-changer, the customers are different, I think they are more independent. So, it’s a much more competitive world,” she said. “I’m fortunate to build a brand a few decades ago, but we can’t take that for granted.”

“Natori is a total concept, a way of life,” Natori concluded. “I just happened to start at the back door with lingerie. Now as the company grows, we grow our sensibility too, taking our concept and making it a whole world. As we say here, Natori is where life meets art.”

Josie Natori and Natori are available at Rustans Makati and Rustans Shangri-La. For more information visit www.natori.com.