It’s early afternoon in Ginza, and there’s no shade on Chuo-dori street. I move from one patch of shade to another under the store awnings, darting like a ninja where shade peters out and dodging left and right to keep from bumping into people passing by.
I make my living analyzing fashion trends and predicting future trends. When my head brims with all kinds of scattered information related to project ideas or half-finished manuscripts and I hit a wall, I go out for a walk.

But, wait a minute. Hasn’t it been unusually hot out lately?

The sun’s rays are scorching. The reflections off the road are dazzling. It’s July, and the extreme heat has already arrived, temperatures exceeding body temperature. If nothing changes, I may simply evaporate. Fall can’t get here soon enough!

As if lured by fresh, cool air, I vacate to GINZA SIX.
GINZA SIX is the perfect place to lose yourself in thought, the ideal place to walk about on your own to refresh a cluttered mind. Today I’ll engage in walking meditation at GINZA SIX. As I clear my head, I’ll focus, with some longing, on attire for the upcoming fall. I’ll show you my recommended route for moments like this.

As you may know, GINZA SIX, in its refreshingly clean, white spaces, here and there throughout the building, features works of art. One of the works on permanent display, something you can count on seeing every time you visit, is the digital art waterfall, “Universe of Water Particles on the Living Wall.” It’s a work that seems to inspire your brain’s alpha waves.

This piece is the work of teamLab, known for artwork based on cutting-edge technologies. Water flows down a wall from a height of 12 meters, a span of three floors. This said, it’s not a matter of whether there’s actually water here or whether an actual live image of waterflow is being reflected: the waterfall is depicted dynamically, but with a delicate touch. The impression is of a painting that’s suddenly begun to move on its own. When the falling water strikes a rock, it splashes, then flows over the rock surface like a sash. As I gaze, hypnotized by the movement of the water, its appearance shifting as it sparkles, I begin to swim lightly, unawares, at somewhere near the boundary of reality and illusion. Days of disorder appear to drift far away. Now my preparations are complete, and the walking meditation at GINZA SIX begins.

I feel I’m floating as I wander the building. Incidentally—and this is something you can see quite clearly when you stand in one of the hallways at GINZA SIX—the stores aren’t aligned with their toes set to a straight line. Rather, they appear haphazardly set back or set forward. They’ve been deliberately misaligned. It recalls the feel of being lost wandering down back alleys. No wonder it’s so easy to wander around here, lost in thought.

As I continue to walk, the clouds suddenly lift. I understand now what I need: a new bag for fall. In all likelihood, I’ll end up checking out nearly all the new bags anyway, given my line of work, but if I had to choose, of the many options this fall, I’d go with Alexander McQueen (3rd floor).

McQueen features designs both elegant and avant-garde—modern, but creating the impression of a classic. Having two opposing elements, a dual nature that can’t be divided into one or the other element, somehow perfectly captures the complex heart of women. It’s no wonder the brand recently became an official purveyor to Princess Catherine of the British royal family.

The brand’s new Jewelled Satchel (260,000 yen; all prices listed before tax) is the shoulder bag version of McQueen’s iconic Four-Ring Clutch, which does have four rings.

One notable feature is that the bag can be held under your arm, like an accessory, if you place your fingers though the rings. Putting the skull next to the gem is a typical McQueen twist.

Of course, you wouldn’t want to disregard the classic genre. On this Four-Ring Pouch (266,000 yen), each colorful stone is ornamented with Swarovski crystal for a touch more glamour. I’m here wearing a white T-shirt, and the pouch seems to go quite well with the casual approach.

The adorable standard Box Bag with its bulging, square shape is always tempting. A design inspired by antique travel bags and jewelry boxes sidesteps the trap of the cute done to excess.

“This is also new,” a staff member tells me. I take a look at the Bucket Bag (281,000 yen).

Like the Box Bag, this bag is inspired by antique luggage and medieval jewelry boxes. Its strikingly clean form, I’m told, takes hints from the art of origami. The refined, distinctive design sets it apart from the crowd of pouches in current vogue. They’d serve as perfect accents for a nicely coordinated look.

Getting into the swing of things, I head to the pre-collection rack.

Here I’m holding a black knit with striking ruffle details and red trimming. The turtleneck is definitely the neckline for this fall. This knit features bold cut-offs in the shoulder area, allowing the bare skin of your shoulders to peak through, both demure and bold. The turtleneck and long sleeves cover your skin, but this exquisite, brief glimpse generates a certain sexiness. Details like this are the trend for fall. At this point, the extreme summer heat is but a distant memory. We’ll turn our thoughts briefly to fall and winter fashions.

For fall and winter, outerwear is the dominant note in the latest collections from European and American brands. I have to check out the outerwear! So I head to Herno on the same floor.

Celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, Herno is an Italian luxury brand that got its start as a purveyor of high-quality raincoats. Herno later moved on to include down coats and other outerwear items in its collection, which remains limited to outerwear.

The brand is a forerunner of a design trend that boldly combines ultra-high quality natural materials, like cashmere, with their enchanting smooth and soft textures, and the high-tech materials common in outdoor goods. Comfort, functionality, a modern look, elegance, plus the lack of a brand logo on the exterior score numerous points with me and others and make this brand especially popular with fashion industry professionals.

The store’s unique displays are what first catch the eye. The coats and jackets—all of the products—hang off hooks. You see similar displays these days from other brands, but this method was pioneered by Herno.

The leather belts hanging from the hooks are said to represent tradition, and the stainless hooks themselves to represent modernity. Pursue new challenges and innovation while maintaining a regard for history and artisanship: This expresses the brand’s basic stance.

I try on an off-white down jacket. It features three-quarter sleeves and a large collar that stands off your chest. The characteristic design is simple but elegant, a perfect match for a basic style, or perfect even worn over a dress. Work often brings me to fashion-related receptions, parties, shows, and other events, so when it’s cold, I worry about choosing the right outerwear. I look for a design that meets my every need: not too casual (to avoid appearing an indifferent or cavalier guest), but not too formal (something I can wear day to day). The dedicated brand offers a large variety of outerwear. I check out the cape, too, which comes with knit arm-warmers.

Hold on! I was talking about “walking meditation,” but now I’m just window-shopping. [sweating]
Watching one’s own desires gradually come into focus is one of the real pleasures of walking alone. Today, as I wander about, I suddenly notice my allotted time dwindling. I head to the first belowground floor—perhaps to explore my subconscious! And this counter at Ipsa is where I go.

I’m here today to take a look at an impression analysis tool, based on design psychology, implemented into the IPSALYZER, the instrument that measures the condition of your skin. It’s a formidable device that peers into your subconscious to gauge precisely how you want to look at that moment.

You’re presented with successive sets of two pictures of different tastes. You’re told to choose, based on intuition alone, which of the two you think is best. You’re shown one pair per second, too short a time to think. The ten total pictures you choose are then used to analyze your subconscious, your feelings at that moment, and the image of yourself as you wish to be.

My mood today is “Elegant.” I was “Cool” the last time I had the analysis done, so today’s result likely reflects my high spirits after wandering GINZA SIX.

Combining the results for skin color and complexion measured previously and the results for the analysis of my subconscious this time produces the following recommended lineup: For lipstick, four colors proposed for four different occasions: work, dates, weekends, and parties. Even colors I wouldn’t normally try look strangely perfect when I put them on. A single stick of lipstick leaves me feeling transfigured, a new version of myself.

I’d felt a bit hazy, but at some point, my head clears completely. Walking meditation at GINZA SIX gives me the complete energy transformation needed to stand up to the intense heat. My feet feeling light, with a confident gait, I take my leave.

Text：Yoshiko Go　Photos：Akemi Kurosaka　Edit：Yuka Okada