On May 12, Prada presented the ninth installment of its “itinerant private club,” Prada Mode in Tokyo, Japan. The event, mixing cultural and architectural experiences, was hosted and curated by the celebrated architect Kazuyo Sejima, a long-term collaborator of the Italian brand. Reuniting popular names in culture and entertainment, the event was attended by Asian stars such as Kentaro Sakaguchi, Mei Nagano, and Jaehyun — member of the K-pop sensation NCT. 

The Journey of Prada Mode

Prada Mode is a series of activations presented around the world, offering a variety of activities including workshops, performances, and conversations that provide a taste of contemporary culture. This worldwide journey kicked off in 2018 in Miami and has since landed in cities such as Shanghai, Paris, London, and Dubai. 

Arriving in Tokyo, Prada Mode took over the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, a space transformed to display artwork, architecture, and host conversations. Kazuyo Sejima, the director of the museum and a friend of Prada, curated the experiences to allow guests to explore the whole venue, including the surrounding gardens. 

“This is a new type of connection and conversation in which architecture, garden, art, and music become one. This event represents the opportunity for the museum to become a new public space,” said the architect about the project.

Mode for Everybody

Beyond the art and architecture, the common theme of the event was the appearance of friends and ambassadors of the Italian brand. The high-wattage gathering featured the attendance of stars such as Kentaro Sakaguchi, actresses Mei Nagano, Ayaka Miyoshi, and Hikari Mori, electro scene maven Mademoiselle Yulia, model Shuzo, multihyphenates AMIAYA, and more.

Sporting their best Prada looks, the stars reunited for several activities, including a special tea ceremony led by the tea master, Kyoko “Myokyo” Denda.  Actor Kentaro Sakaguchi — who is one of Prada’s ambassadors hailing from Japan — opted for an elegant approach, dressed in a suede jacket, matching tailored pants, and a sandstone shirt and tie. Likewise, Mei Nagano, who also boasts ties to the Italian brand, went for a classy take, clad in a floor-length shirt dress and a sleek patent leather bag.  

From Tropico To Mode

Another personality checking in was NCT’s Jaehyun, who has been a regular fixture at Prada’s events this week. Just days prior, the star made a visit to Prada Tropico’s pop-up store in Seoul. 

For Prada Mode, Jaehyun put an elevated twist on casual wear, pairing dark trousers with a black tank top and a gray cardigan featuring a detachable collar — the signature element of Prada’s FW23 collection, “Let’s Talk About Clothes.” Jaehyun finished the outfit with leather accents, for a total Prada look. 

Accumulating several high-profile appearances as a Prada representative, the singer and actor has mastered the art of styling brand staples without renouncing his personal style. Point in case was his look at the Tropico pop-up event, where the Prada darling sported a caramel leather bomber jacket, layered over a striped jersey T-shirt. He matched the items with black washed-denim pants, white crew socks, patent leather loafers, and a gray marble bag. 

Prada in Asia

Prada continues to bet on the East. Over the past year, the brand has centered its efforts on leveraging its presence in Asia. The brand — which topped Lyst Index’s hottest brand list in the latest quarter of the year — has experienced one of its most successful and buzz-worthy years, not only delivering desirable products and presenting positively-reviewed runways but also securing associations with some of the biggest Asian stars, including Win Metawin and NCT’s Jaehyun.   

And the efforts have paid off, Prada Group recently shared its performance in the Q1 of 2023, demonstrating its revenue growth. In Asia Pacific alone, the group has seen a rebound of retail sales up 22% YoY — Year on Year. Geographically speaking, the APAC region makes up 38% of the sales for Prada Group while Japan alone represents 12% of the sales. 

Taking Prada Mode to Japan, Prada again proves its focus on strengthening its presence in Asia. What better way to do it than celebrating the country’s bubbly cultural scene?

Interested in more fashion events? Check out how Jennie celebrated the launch of her collection with Calvin Klein here. 

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