Tokyo Japan 3D fashion contemporary — © Seiran Tsuno, pic by Sho Makishima

To characterize Seiran Tsuno’s work as “clothing” seems belittling of the impact of her creations. Her designs resemble translucent, cage-like structures that hover over the body, serving as a hyperbole of the human anatomy. Describing the intentions of her work, Tsuno explains that she creates “to communicate with the unseen world,” heavily inspired by her interesting past in healthcare. Through her fascination with the spirit world and her curiosity in 3d printing, Tsuno’s designs transcend the ordinary.

Prior to becoming a full time designer, Tsuno worked as a nurse in a psychiatric hospital. Through the intensity of schooling and her work, she found an escape in fashion - spending weekends in “shironuri” a Japanese subculture of Gothic and Lolita street styles, where faces are painted bright white. She says dressing in shironuri allowed her to feel like a “nobody”, an imaginary, ghostlike presence which brought her comfort. As her passion grew rapidly, Tsuno enrolled in Coconogacco , a private fashion school in Tokyo notorious for their avant garde teaching practices and cultivating the “Future of Design”. There she refined her craft, intertwining her artistic expression in fashion with her experiences in psychiatric care.

seiran tsuno 3D fashion — © Seiran Tsuno, pic by TOKI

Influenced by her conversations with the patients at the hospital, Tsuno grew a deep curiosity about the afterlife and the spiritual realm. Embedded in Japanese culture, she mentions that temples, festivals, and costumes are not only used for communicating with spirits, but to also fulfill the human necessity to comprehend death. Tsuno attempts to connect with the unseen world through the bright, exaggerated, cartoon-like features of her dresses and headpieces mimicking the grandiosity of Shamanistic traditional wear. Another significant influence of the designer is her grandmother. As her muse, she can be seen consistently modeling Tsuno’s designs.

To no surprise, Tsuno’s creative process mirrors her eccentricity. Using a 3d pen and dispensing strands of melted plastic, Tsuno intricately weaves a dress with the assistance of five others. The meticulous process takes up to a week, resulting in a delicate garment emulating the transient essence of her art. Evident in her latest collection, “Wandering Spirits” which secured her as a finalist in Vogue Italia’s ITS Contest for emerging talent.

Seiran Tsuno proves to be as compelling as her designs. As a result of her unconventional past in caretaking and innovative methods of creation, she continuously pushes the boundaries of fashion. Whether she is experimenting with materials to redefine textiles or reshaping the concept of what a dress even looks like, Tsuno plays with the extremities of fashion through curiosity and compassion.

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