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"   Photo: Yasutoshi Ezumi  It&amp;#039;s not just a name change that&amp;#039;s adding a bit of buzz to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo, which runs through next Saturday; there are also a handful of up-and-coming designers who just might have what it takes to be the next Rei Kawakubo or Yohji Yamamoto. Here, ELLE.com highlights five of our favorites. Yasutoshi EzumiDesigner: Yasutoshi EzumiBio: Yet another impressive Central Saint Martins graduate\u2014this one worked as an assistant at Alexander McQueen and then as a knitwear designer at Aquascutum, before coming back to Japan to launch his own brand.Launched: Fall 2010The look: Elegant knitwear with a twist\u2014and lots of texture. ShiromaDesigner: Shiho ShiromaBio: It&amp;#039;s been four years since Shiroma first opened its design office, but the label didn&amp;#039;t debut on the runway until the spring &amp;#039;10 season in Paris.Launched: Spring 2010The look: Dyed, distressed, and thoughtfully designed leather jackets for everyone from cool girls to the Black Eyed Peas (seriously\u2014Taboo is wearing one of Shiroma&amp;#039;s pieces in the music video for &amp;quot;Just Can&amp;#039;t Get Enough&amp;quot;).        Photo: Plumpynuts  AmbellDesigner: Bunzo KadonoBio: Kadono&amp;#039;s connections to Europe run deep; since graduating from Esmod Paris, he worked with Anne Val\u00E9rie Hash and V\u00E9ronique Leroy before starting his own label.Launched: Fall 2010The look: An emphasis on the wearable, with details like dip-dye coloring elevating it far above basic. plumpynutsDesigners: Miyuki Omichi and Ayumi KitaBio: This duo first became Tokyo fashion world darlings for their label Foundation Addict, and have found similar success since launching plumpynuts. This fall, they launched Tokyo Reworkers by O.K., a series of one-of-a-kind reworked pieces from the plumpynuts archives.Launched: Fall 2009The look: The strange name belies the label&amp;#039;s knack for statement-making jackets and playful sportswear that can go from the office to the club with just a little bit of lipstick. A Degree FahrenheitDesigner: Yu AmatsuBio: After studying design in Tokyo, Amatsu moved to New York, where he worked as a pattern maker for Jen Kao and Marc Jacobs.Launched: Fall 2010The look: Wearable avant-garde designs that play with volume and draping. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.elle.com/fashion/news/a7570/designers-to-watch-at-japan-fashion-week-30996/>