Fashion Icon Tadashi Shoji Celebrates 30 Years as a Designer

When a celebrity walks down the red carpet and is asked, “Who are you wearing”, it’s every evening-wear designer’s dream to hear their name in response. It’s a similar feeling of accomplishment when a designer watches their collections walk down the runway at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. And who wouldn’t want to add the celebration of 30 years as a successful fashion designer to that list?

Japanese-born designer and fashion entrepreneur, Tadashi Shoji, has experienced all of these moments in his career as an accomplished formalwear designer. 2013 is the official mark of his 30 years as a designer, and he has experienced every moment a designer aspires to accomplish; dressing celebrities for the red carpet, seeing his collections on the runway at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, and interviews with top fashion publications, just to name few.

His ethereal gowns and whimsical cocktail dresses are worn by celebrities such as Katy Perry, Kate Beckinsale, Octavia Spencer, Laila Ali, Mo’Nique and more. His trademark designs include layering ruffles and luxurious materials such as lace and chiffon and will once again be on the runway this month with his 13th appearance at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week showcasing his Spring 2014 collection.

Tadashi Shoji designs are sold in over 4,000 stores including some of the most prestigious department stores, such as Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. His brand focuses on global sales, mentioning in a recent L.A. Times article on the expansion of online sales for designer clothing since he began his career in 1983.

LAT: What has changed most about fashion since you have been in the business?
TS: Sales by Internet, and not to regular customers, but to wholesale customers. Because of celebrity dressing and fashion shows, our company is known all over the world. Our showroom in New York sends out press kits and line sheets to stores in places like Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Nigeria. They have never touched our dresses or seen them in person, but they order them anyway. Ten years ago, I never would have thought that would happen. Now, we sell in about 45 different countries.

LAT: Do you get inspired by the one-of-a-kind designs you create for the red carpet?
TS: Yes, we knocked off Octavia Spencer’s Oscar dress — with her permission — and did a $389 version. She didn’t mind because so many people had asked her about the dress, and she wanted other women to be able to have it. We had the dress in stores two months after she wore it.

LAT: What’s next for your brand?
TS: We signed a deal to do our first fragrance. We are hoping to launch it by fall 2014. We’re working on the juice and the bottle and the name. The name is the hardest part. Everything is taken! That’s why they recommend you use your own name. We are also thinking of branching out more into accessories and have hired a new managing director to help us look at the bigger picture for the next 30 years.

Tadashi Shoji Fall 2013 Collection – Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

Photographer: Jane Kratochvil /
www.janekratochvil.com/a>.

FashionMingle.net Interviews Tadashi Shoji at New York Fashion Week

FashionMingle.net will be covering Tadashi Shoji at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in September for the Spring 2014 collections. Watch our site for the interview and runway photographs. FashionMingle.net offers bloggers and online magazines free NYFW content. Click here to learn how to become a NYFW Media Partner and get free daily trend reports, videos, and professional photos to share with your readers.