Mode no Higeki: almost nothing, almost everything
Mode no Higeki doesn’t behave like a traditional shop. In many ways, it feels closer to the spirit of punk made incarnate: a guttural experience fed on pure instinct and an unabashed refusal to play by the rulebook. Founded by Jana Dahmen and Tetsuro Kitada, the space sits far from the polished rooms of Tokyo’s typical fashion establishments, hidden in the depths of a Sumida-ku building that once served as a brothel.
Its name roughly translates as “The Tragedy of Fashion”, a title that, considering its anti-establishment ethos, feels more than apt. Through an avant-garde and gothic lens, Dahmen and Kitada offer bespoke tailoring, reconstructed dead stock, and a sharp eye for antiques still with a pulse. Through this authentic approach, the duo have cultivated their own dedicated congregation, amassing a group of people drawn to items that resist easy consumption or quick social validation. In a city obsessed with trends and social currency, this form of resistance feels refreshingly provocative.
““almost nothing, almost everything,” reflects the tension we often feel when trying to express our inner world through clothing—a process that is deeply personal, yet inevitably shaped by society.”
“Dressing is a form of self-expression, but it also involves uncertainty: how we’ll be perceived, whether we’ll be understood, and the quiet fear of being misread or unseen.”
PHOTOGRAPHER: MARGO LEISMÜLLER
STYLIST: DOMINIKA
HAIR STYLIST: HARUTO TANAKA
MODEL: CHEN XI
MODEL: YURA
DIRECTION: JANA
