Close Encounters of the Grace Kind?

He’s baaack! Celebrated Japanese fashion designer Jun Takahashi will be in Hong Kong for the opening of a photography exhibition that also highlights the Spring Summer 09 Undercover collection.

What’s a Grace?

The last event Jun Takahashi presided over in Hong Kong featured a live puppet performance. You can read about that event here. It turns out that the creatures have a name and their story has evolved considerably.

According to the new book of photographs that will be on display, a Grace is a species of “white fluffy creatures with luminous eyes.”

From what I’ve seen online, the photos convey the wonder and magic of the unknown. Staring at the images I couldn’t help but feel the same mood as captured in the Hollywood classics – Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Poltergeist, and E.T..

Many of the photos include scenes of lights beaming out, illuminating the subjects in front of them. The photos are surreal and seem to suggest coming into contact with other-worldly beings.

Some of the images capture the interaction of Graces with humans wearing Undercover clothing. Part of the impetus of the book was to try a new method of presenting clothing besides the usual runway show.

Katsuhide Morimoto is the photographer responsible for the works. From what I’ve read, the images are especially remarkable for not using any post digital enhancement.

The exhibition runs from Monday, April 27th to the 19th of May at Joyce Boutique in Central.

Jun Takahashi’s Undercover GRACE photo exhibition
Joyce Boutique
G/F, New World Tower, 16 Queens Road
Central, Hong Kong

Here’s a short clip from Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

In the film, (which I highly recommend,) a central character begins looking at everyday objects in an obsessive, unique way. This is perhaps a good analogy for a fashion visionary!