[PV Talk] – The 80’s London culture scene, a new “fashion stories” event The 18 April 2023 - Denim Première Vision

Michiko Koshino born in Japan in 1954 and is the daughter of the renowned Japanese fashion designer Ayako Koshino. her father died fighting during the Second World War. Her two older sisters Hiroko Koshino and Junko Koshino also became designers. While working for her mother’s boutique early in her life, Koshino gained first hand experience in the fashion and retail industry. In 1974, Koshino graduated from Bunka Fukuso Gakuin College of design. Upon graduating, college she moved to London to pursue her career as a fashion designer.

In London, Koshino established her own fashion label, since1977, she start to be part of the Fashion Week in London, since then and for 30 years she never miss one season.  

Her avant-garde designs became popular, especially among the club music scenes. Her designs often incorporated futuristic elements, bold colors, and unconventional materials, such as PVC and neoprene.

Her clothing line later branched out to include cosmetics, underwear, eyewear, and accessories that are sold in countries such as Asia, Europe, and the United States. During the London Fashion Week in 1996, the YEN denim label was launched, featuring a limited edition collection of Japanese denim that achieved cult status and proved to be a successful venture. Two of her other lines are Michiko London Koshino and Motor King. Koshino’s clothing has been seen on such celebrities as the Spice Girls, Placebo, and Natalie Imbruglia, David Bowie and Boy George, DJ Goldie. 

Throughout her career, Koshino has been recognised for her innovative designs and contributions to the fashion industry. She has received numerous awards, including the Japanese Medal of Honor in 2011 for her contributions to fashion and culture.

Chris Sullivan has played at just about every groovy nightspot worth mentioning. He started in partnership with Rusty Egan and Steve Strange of Blitz fame and went onto DJ Le Kilt, St Moritz, Rouge, Café de Paris and his famously influential Wag Club that he founded DJd and ran for 18 years.

He was the first person to book New York hip hop acts such as Fab Five Freddie, Afrika Bambaattaa and the Rock Steady Crew when he brought over the Roxy Road. Show in November 1982. Subsequently,  the Wag first showcased the likes of Run DMC, Grandmaster Flash, De La Soul and Spoonie Gee along with every US rap act of note. 

Simultaneously, the Wag also initiated the new dance jazz era  of the eighties with their legendary Jazz Room where Sullivan DJd with Paul Murphy  and  Gilles Peterson while live acts included  the unsigned Sade, Carmel, Working Week and jazz legends such as  Wayne Shorter, Art Blakey, Slim Gaillard and Les McCann.   

Subsequently, he DJ’d the Ministry Ronnie Scott’s, Riki Tik, Fabric and every club and warehouse party worth talking about in London with gigs in Tokyo, New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Barcelona, Milan and Ibiza on countless occasions.

He has DJ’d at parties for amongst many others, Elton John, George Michael, Jean Paul Gaultier, Madonna, Rhys Ifans, Jude Law, Comme Des Garcons, Simone de Pury, Bianca Jagger, GQ, Esquire, Elle and Italian Vogue and has had residencies at clubs such as Browns, Pacha, China White, Mo Mo and The Playboy

He also often plays film premier parties and art openings in the city and each year takes DJ slots at Wayne Hemingway’s Vintage Car Boot Festival, the Byline Festival, Houghton Festival, House of Fun for the band Madness, Portobello Live and his own Portobello Soul festival.

He played the David Bowie and Fashion to Catwalk openings at the V+A   and every September works the London Design Festival Closing Party at the same venue Other galleries he’s played include The National Portrait Gallery, David Gill, Haunch of Venison and The White Cube.

At present he has radio shows on Soho Radio, Totally Wired Radio and Portobello Radio. 

His specialty is catering to almost any crowd and any age group or any situation by reading the situation to get the crowd moving.

“ DJing is not an ego trip,” he says. “It’s all about  observation, reading the crowd and allowing  them a good night without being puerile.”

Pattern designer since 1987 , product developer and teacher. With its eclecticism it is able to switch from denim to formal and technical, from menswear to no gender with ease. For years he has been dedicating himself to the transmission of progressive pattern making  skills to the new generation of designers , fabric suppliers and companies.