Japanese Supermodel and Aughts Icon Ai Tominaga Was Tokyo Fashion Week’s Best-Dressed Woman

Ai Tominaga was a regular presence on the runway for labels like Alexander McQueen, Gucci, and Valentino during the aughts, and today she remains one of Tokyo’s most visible supermodels. As one of the few homegrown talents to land on the cover of Japanese Vogue, she opened doors for the new generation of Japanese beauties, and at 35, she now balances modeling with motherhood and a successful lineup of hosting gigs on television and radio. During a streak of appearances at this past Tokyo Fashion Week, Tominaga also served as an unofficial ambassador for the Japanese fashion scene, combining the vibrant eclecticism of the city’s youthful street style crews and the classicism of its heritage brands to emerge as the week’s best-dressed woman.

Tominaga set the bar high from the start, arriving at TFW’s opening reception in a fresh-from-the-runway Sacai skirt covered in Lawrence Weiner’s text art. At Toga, she wore an oversize plaid jacket over a taupe sweater dress with decorative ruching adorning its hemline, while Tai Ashida’s classically minded collection called for a silver ball gown with movie-star appeal. For a trip to Hyke’s sleek gallery space, Tominaga embraced minimalism in a modern update on sweater dressing that featured layers of slate knits. Though she captured the essence of each brand, Tominaga wasn’t just a mannequin; she styled each piece differently than it was presented on the runway, adding personal touches like delicate jewelry and sky-high Sacai platforms. And she documented her every outfit, alongside sneak peeks of her Fashion Week experience, on her Instagram—instantly making it a must-follow. Above, a few of Tominaga’s most noteworthy looks of the week.