Just as Tokyo is synonymous with manga, sushi and cute robotic playmates, so has fashion been a reigning symbol of the city's creative prowess.

Showcasing the runway presentations for 37 high-fashion brands over six days was last week's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo. Held primarily in Shibuya's glitzy Hikarie complex, fashion shows brought out journalists, influential bloggers, buyers and some famous faces to see what designers have in store for the 2014 spring/summer season.

Fashion Week Tokyo has a unique task in conquering two massive sides of one coin: one is to bring local fashion to the public at large with casual, marketable clothing; the other is to establish a certain cachet within the global fashion industry by perpetuating the innovative image that put Japan on the map way back in the '80s.