On December 28, 2025, at night on the campus of the Kanagawa Institute of Technology in Atsugi, Kanagawa, a runway show quietly opened at KAIT Plaza. The space was enveloped in deep darkness, broken only by faint light filtering through openings in the roof. Within this restrained atmosphere, the first collection of Sein—by architect and designer Hirofumi Nakagawa—began in near silence, led by a solo violin resonating through the space.

photo by Tomoyuki Kusunose


Sein is a fashion project founded on the concept of “something that is certainly there.” Drawing from Nakagawa’s parallel research in architectural design and garment construction, the brand seeks to give form to subtle presences and emotions that often go unnoticed in everyday life. This first collection marked Sein’s initial attempt to present such ideas in a real, inhabited space, bridging architecture and clothing as a single experiential field.

photo by Koji Shimamura

Titled What can I find in the darkness?, the collection explores the dual nature of darkness—as a source of unease and as a backdrop that allows beauty to emerge. Rather than imposing a fixed image, the garments are designed to leave room for interpretation, allowing each viewer’s memories and emotions to surface differently within the shadows.

photo by Koji Shimamura

This approach is also evident in the construction of the clothing itself. Collaborating with Watanabe Textile, the collection employs materials in which the warp threads remain uncut while the weft changes in texture and material, creating expressions that appear interrupted yet remain structurally continuous. What seems divided at first glance is, in fact, formed from a single piece of fabric—an architectural way of thinking translated directly into dress.

photo by Koji Shimamura

The venue, KAIT Plaza, was designed by architect Junya Ishigami and is defined by its open roof structure and subtle shifts in light. The floor is not flat but gently sloped, with a height difference of up to approximately five meters. Standing within the space, the incline becomes palpable, shaping how the models move, how their footsteps sound, and how the garments sway—transforming the runway into a three-dimensional landscape rather than a neutral plane.

photo by Tomoyuki Kusunose

The spatial experience was further refined through direction and visual design by Flowplateaux, led by Fumihiko Sato and Ichiro Kojima, both alumni of Rhizomatiks Design, with special lighting engineering by OFF-FLAT. Live violin performances by Mayuko Ishigami unfolded alongside a musical program that combined existing works with original compositions written for the collection by Sakura Tsuruta. As sound, light, and movement intersected, the atmosphere subtly shifted, engaging not only sight but also hearing and bodily sensation.

photo by Tomoyuki Kusunose

Rather than declaring a finished form, Sein’s first collection gently posed a question—what can be perceived within darkness? At the intersection of architecture, clothing, light, and sound, garments emerged as something quietly yet undeniably present. To witness that moment of emergence was to grasp the essence of the night.

photo by Koji Shimamura

photo by Koji Shimamura


［Show Credits]
Creative Direction : Hirofumi Nakagawa
Show Direction : Masaaki Ando (A OFFICE)
Special Lighting Direction : Fumihiko Sato (Flowplateaux)
Visual Design & Web Production : Ichiro Kojima (Flowplateaux)
Special Lighting Engineering : Takahito Hosono, Tatsuya Motoki (OFF-FLAT)
Violinist : Mayuko Ishigami
Show Music Composition : Sakura Tsuruta
Hair & Makeup : Yuri Sumiya
Styling : Sora Murai
Model Casting : SMN CASTING
Textile Design : Tatsuyasu Watanabe (Watanabe Textile)
Accessory Design : Hiroyasu Miyakoshi
Venue Design : Diverse Architects
Guidance Direction & Installation Support : Eriko Kitamoto + Kitamoto Laboratory, Kanagawa Institute of Technology