If you noticed a few more model-types, street-style photographers and fashionistas lingering around Shibuya last week, then you weren't imagining things: Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo, which was held March 17-22, once again brought the hautest of the haute out of the woodwork. The biannual event showcased 45 brands covering a variety of fashion from Japan and beyond, mostly centered around the Hikarie shopping venue.

The organizers of the event haven't said they vet brands based on style or target, so perhaps it was by pure serendipity that there was a great mix of both mainstream and subculture designs representing Tokyo's multi-faceted fashion landscape. The collections showcased items that featured everything from European glamour to kimono, each complemented by kawaii (cute) or punk street styles. A record number of international brands made appearances on the runway, making for an incredibly well-rounded week, despite the event losing some of the country's biggest brands — Christian Dada, G.V.G.V. and Anrealage — to later showings or European fashion weeks.

One of the highlights was a special show by New York City-based designer Diane Von Furstenberg, who assembled celebrities and supermodels for a large-scale production. Supermodel Ai Tominaga made a rare appearance on the catwalk, with up-and-coming superstar Mona Matsuoka fresh off the Chanel runway in Paris joining her. Celebrities have never played a huge part in Fashion Week Tokyo, but model/actress Kiko Mizuhara twirled down a runway at the Sretsis show this season, while actress Risa Naka offered her support from the front row.