LIGHT has worked with ANDREAS MOURKOUDIS to present sense of Tokyoa new cultural platform for contemporary Japanese fashion, craft and design, during Men’s Paris Fashion Week. The project introduces Tokyo’s material-driven culture to a European audience through retail, exhibition and editorial presentation.
INTERVIEWS
The Paris edition runs from June 14 to July 7, 2026, at Rue des Minimes 16. LUMINE and ANDREAS MURKUDIS have selected around 30 Japanese brands, designers and manufacturers for the program. The selection spans fashion, objects, books and craft, bringing many creative disciplines together in a temporary setting.
tokyo sense examines Japan’s close relationship with manufacturing, materials and specialized production. The project also shows how contemporary designers develop these practices for current life. Each participant receives equal space within the presentation, allowing visitors to encounter individual approaches without formal hierarchy between categories.
The format combines a much talked about concept store, exhibition and multimedia platform. LUMINE and ANDREAS MURKUDIS use the Paris setting to connect Tokyo with buyers, clients, press and fashion professionals in Europe. Many participating companies still have limited distribution on the continent, giving the project a direct commercial role alongside its cultural program.
Murkudis sees the platform as an opportunity to introduce the Japanese brands he works with to a wider network. She also finds the mix of clothes, objects and books essential to the experience. The series gives visitors several ways to understand how Japanese manufacturers approach materials, production and everyday use.
His collaboration with LUMINE also responds to the speed that often shapes fashion and cultural programming. tokyo sense gives each brand enough space for visitors to understand its work, methods and value. Selection and context guide the presentation, while the limited time frame gives the work a defined public presence in Paris.
The schedule brings a Tokyo feel to Paris Men’s Fashion Week and puts participating brands in front of an international industry audience. The project also addresses the local community of Paris through the public site and the planned program.
LUMINE President and CEO Teruyuki Omote describes tokyo sens as the company’s first project in Paris. The launch follows the opening of LUMINE’s global flagship in Singapore and marks another step in the company’s international business. Omote links the work to Japanese attention to materials, detail and forms of production that continue to develop alongside modern life.
LUMINE plans to bring the meaning of Tokyo to other cities through future editions. The company aims to create a recurring format that connects creative communities through curation, commerce and publishing. The model gives Japanese brands greater access to international audiences while creating a focused stage for fashion, craftsmanship and culture.
To explore how the feel of Tokyo came together, DSCENE editor Ana Markovic talk to me Andreas Mourkoudis for his collaboration with LUMINE, the selection of 30 Japanese brands and the debut of the project in Paris. Murkudis also discusses material experimentation, the value of quality and plans to bring Tokyo to Berlin in 2027.
How did the collaboration with LUMINE begin and what made this project right to grow together?
The partnership started when Hiroyuki Murase from SUZUSAN introduced me to Mr. Omote, the president of LUMINE. They were looking for a creative consultant to help them introduce the Japanese brands to a wider European audience. Hiro suggested that I would be the perfect ambassador given my long-standing work with Japanese brands. I am deeply grateful for this connection – it felt like the perfect opportunity to bridge these worlds.
Why did Paris make the most sense for the first edition of tokyo sense?
Paris was the obvious choice. It is the heart of fashion and a project like tokyo sense belongs there.
Tokyo has thousands of brands. How did you narrow down the selection to these 30?
It was incredibly challenging. We could have chosen 200 brands – there are so many possibilities. But we were limited by space, and I wanted each of the 30 brands to have the space to shine and unfold their magic.
Was there a quality you looked for in each item, garment or brand before including it?
The common denominator in the selection of tokyo sense products – be it brush, book or t-shirt – is quality.
Many of the selected brands remain relatively unknown in Europe. Do you see your role here as curator, retailer, translator, advocate, or a combination of these roles?
Having worked with Japanese brands since 2003 in my own stores – and because of my deep love for Japan – tokyo sense was a project I had in my heart from the beginning. Together with MOON we created a newspaper for the project, which includes a map of other Japanese exhibition spaces in Paris, along with restaurants and shops. My goal is not to keep these brands but to inspire and motivate others to discover them and fall in love with them too. There is too much similarity everywhere, but so much more to explore. It just takes a little research and courage!
What interests you most about contemporary Japanese design today and how do you recognize when a brand has the potential to connect with an international audience?
Let me point to EDUA as an example. They have been making all kinds of brushes since the 18th century and had never sold their products outside of Japan before. Their products have a timeless beauty that immediately captivated me. We bought a small collection and it is selling great. It’s an old product, but it’s fresh and amazing for the European market. There are so many more stories like this waiting to be told.
How does the Japanese approach to materials and production differ from what you usually find in Europe?
I see a greater passion for pushing the limits of materials. There is a greater willingness to experiment with bold combinations and take materiality to new levels.
How did you shape the physical space in Paris to reflect the character of the selected brands?
During my trip to Japan in March, I found inspiration in my hotel room. There was a small wall hanging with fabric stretched between a wooden frame, and I loved the lightness and elegance of it. It reminded me of shoji, a traditional Japanese interior element used to separate rooms. It was exactly the aesthetic I wanted for tokyo sense and I’m excited to see how it turns out.
Why was it important to include ceramics, books, beauty and homeware alongside fashion?
Mixing product categories has been central to my store concepts since 2002. I do it because I want to show design in its broadest and deepest sense. The mix creates exciting alliances and discoveries, making visible different concepts, aesthetics and crafts.
What do you think European audiences still misunderstand about contemporary Japanese design, and what can a sense of Tokyo help them see differently?
I don’t think there is a misunderstanding – it’s more a lack of knowledge or willingness to dive into the depths of Japanese design and craftsmanship. This is why we start with tokyo sense and our 30 brands, while also pointing visitors to around 30-40 exhibitions, restaurants and shops of other Japanese brands throughout Paris through our newspaper map. We are honored to spread the word and act as ambassadors and service providers for products from Japan.
Once the Paris edition closes, what do you hope remains of the project and where could Tokyo feel the journey next?
I hope that the response will be positive and that many people will discover something important about Tokyo. I also hope that more industry professionals will be inspired to visit Japan and explore its creative landscape. We are already planning to bring a Tokyo feel to our store during the Berlin Gallery 2027 weekend as part of our projects for our 25th anniversary celebrations.
tokyo sense runs until July 7, 2026, at 16 Rue des Minimes, 75003 Paris.
The next edition of tokyo sense will take place next year.
