'Smile Down the Runway' Is Fabulous

Modelling and fashion – especially high-end fashion – have never really appealed to me.  I did catch a few episodes of Project Runway in the past (somehow, I didn’t have anything better to do at that time), but it was the competition that piqued my interest rather than the featured clothing.  I don’t understand why the fashion industry is such a big deal as the expensive garments they produce usually look outlandish and are only utile and important for a limited period of time (since they will only be fashionable within a particular season).  I suppose that it’s just another example of the elite, bored and having plenty of disposable money to squander, artificially inflating the value of an object by granting it a ridiculously high monetary appraisal so that it can serve as a status symbol (basically what post-modern art is all about).

A great thing about anime is it can make any subject matter – even the mundane, common, niche, or obscure stuff – look interesting.  Anime somehow manages to present things that you don’t find compelling in real life in a genuinely riveting light.  In the process, it may even show you its real-life merits – or, at least, make you understand why others are into it.

That’s what Smile Down the Runway, which premiered this winter 2020 season, was able to do for me with regards to modelling and fashion designing.

The anime follows Ikuto Tsumura, a high school student who has all but given up on his dream of becoming a fashion designer.  Although he’s naturally talented and a quick-learner when it comes to sewing and designing, their family’s financial situation prevents him from pursuing a degree in fashion designing.  As the oldest child, he intends to work immediately after graduation so that he can provide for his sick, widowed mother and his younger sisters.  However, the path to becoming a fashion designer becomes available to him when his talent catches the attention of his classmate Chiyuki Fujito.

Chiyuki has trained hard to be a model ever since she was little.  She dreams of not only becoming a supermodel, but a “hypermodel”, and be in the prestigious Paris Fashion Week as the representative of her father’s company, Mille Niege.  On top of her training and having a father working in the industry, she’s also blessed with beauty and a well-proportioned body, making her primed to achieve her dreams.  However, much to her disappointment, she stopped growing at 158 cm.  This is below the minimum requirement to be a runway model, which means her dreams are now essentially out of reach.  Nevertheless, the strong-willed Chiyuki refuses to give up even though the people around her constantly discourage her and her modelling applications are often rejected.

After seeing Ikuto’s talent, Chiyuki asks him to design new clothes for her out of her old ones, so that during auditions, she would be wearing clothes that are of her size rather than clothes made for regular-sized models, and as a result, her modelling talents become more noticeably showcased.  And thus, a special friendship develops between the two (and it’s hinted it will develop into romance in the future).  As they navigate the ruthless and hectic world of fashion, they serve as each other’s muses, motivating each other to improve in their respective crafts and grind toward their dreams.

Even though fashion design and modelling are its subject matters, Smile Down the Runway is actually not a shojo, but a shonen.  Thus, it has the same underdog, rags-to-riches, I-will-be-the-best, let’s-go-the-top arcs for its protagonists that battle shonen and sports anime have for theirs.  Meaning, Ikuto and Chiyuki’s story arc plays out fairly comparably with Naruto’s or Hinata’s (Haikyuu).  Moreover, as a shonen, its action set pieces – in this case, designing clothes and walking down the ramp – also have the visual flair and sense of hype as a shonen battle or match.

It’s also as inspiring as the best sports anime could be.  While Chiyuki’s arc is also touching and engaging, I was particularly more invested on Ikuto’s arc since I found his mild-mannered personality, domestic problems, and lack of finances to be more serious handicaps in the cutthroat, pressure-cooker environment they’re in than Chiyuki’s lack of height.  Thus, the show is at its most gratifying whenever he rises above the adversity and triumphs.

At the same, it’s also pretty heartbreaking whenever he loses.  Yes, he (as well as Chiyuki) does take some tough L’s in this show.  But since the most inspiring sports anime storylines involve some painful losing at some point (e.g. Shohoku losing to Kainan, Seirin losing to Touou, the Deimon Devilbats losing to the Seibu Wild Gunman, Karasuno losing to Aobajohsai, etc.) so that exhilarating “rising from the ashes” moments can be set up, those defeats are desirable developments in the big picture.  In addition, his losses come at a point where the opposite result (i.e. wins) would have been unrealistic.  All things considered, his lows satisfy the narrative, and will definitely make his highs feel more earned.

In the end, while it’s superbly enjoyable and packs an emotional punch, Smile Down the Runway still hasn’t made the real-life fashion industry fascinating to me.  But as far as being an anime series that has a premise centered on the fashion industry, it’s quite exciting and absorbing.  For beyond being a show about fashion designing and modelling, it’s about people being deeply dedicated to and enthusiastic about their passions.   And passion is something everyone can relate to.

Hopefully, we get a season 2.