Photo Credit: Drew Altizer
Yuka Uehara is on a roll. With a ballet-infused fashion show, debut ready-to-wear collection, and series of high profile upcoming events, the San Francisco-based fashion designer and founder of Tokyo Gamine has finally hit her stride. Last week she hosted a trunk show at Pia the Store in Jackson Square where the fashionable crowd was treated to a special piece of performance art. San Francisco Ballet principal dancer, Mathilde Froustey, was the star of the collaborative dance and fashion show.
Photo Credit: Drew Altizer
Froustey spent the majority of the 2017 repertory season out with a foot injury and the Tokyo Gamine presentation marked her return to the stage—albeit in red Doc Martins that provided extra support. It was Froustey’s injury that lead her to meet Uehara in the first place. “We met at the Tiffany re-opening party. She was wearing Doc Martins and I was wearing a boot as well,” Uehara told Haute Living late last week in a phone conversation. “Everyone was wearing high heels so we’re just complimenting each other—how we’re not wearing high heels.” An easy and fast friendship formed and now Froustey serves as a muse for the designer.
Photo Credit: Drew Altizer
In the performance piece, Froustey took the role of Alice (not in Wonderland, but Pia the Store), who ceaselessly searches for her rabbit while frolicking in an Tokyo Gamine’s confectionary frocks. The looks that were shown are what Pia Cohler ordered for her namesake boutique. Cohler and Uehara also met by chance at a dinner hosted by stylist Mary Gonsalves Kinney. “She complimented me on my jacket at the dinner and then Pia sent me an Instagram message that said ‘I would like to see more of your stuff, can you stop by the store?’ ” Uehara explains. “I brought the stuff over and then she was like ‘Can I see the price list?’ And I was like ‘Okay, it’s on my phone, here you go.’ Then, it just happened, it was really easy. It was like a one hour meeting.” The 25 Tokyo Gamine ready-to-wear looks take about eight to ten weeks to make and are customizable. Want a hood added to the denim floral jacket? Just ask. Uehara aims to please.
Photo Credit: Drew Altizer
Fans of her collection can purchase Tokyo Gamine at Pia now and experience the creative and unique designer in person at an upcoming event. “MAC [Modern and Appealing Clothing] and I are planning another different kind of trunk show. It’s more visual and will take place in June,” Uehara says. She’s also the featured fashion designer at the Fashion Fights Arthritis event on October 20 in the fall. “It will be a bunch of new looks. It’s a big runway,” she says laughing nervously. “I’m like, a little. . . lost. . . in my head. There’s going to be 400 or 500 people, so it’s a big one, but I’m excited.” We are excited too, to see what happens next as Uehara continues to take the SF fashion scene by storm.
Photo Credit: Drew Altizer
Photo Credit: Drew Altizer
Photo Credit: Drew Altizer
Photo Credit: Drew Altizer
Photo Credit: Drew Altizer
Photo Credit: Drew Altizer
Photo Credit: Drew Altizer
Photo Credit: Drew Altizer
Photo Credit: Drew Altizer
Photo Credit: Drew Altizer
Photo Credit: Drew Altizer
Photo Credit: Drew Altizer
Photo Credit: Drew Altizer
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