ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION)<br/> <br />STORY: In the traditional world of the kimono, this is as avant garde as it gets.<br/> <br />On the catwalk at the Tokyo Fashion Show on Wednesday (March 21), third-generation kimono designer Jotaro Saito unveiled a collection he hopes will give the Japanese dress a modern twist.<br/> <br />But surprisingly for a show entitled 'Futurism', this is far from the rejection of history that the artistic movement fought for a century ago.<br/> <br />Instead, Saito says this is an evolution, taking progress to kimonos one sandal step at a time.<br/> <br />To that end, much of Saito's collection will be familiar to kimono aficionados.<br/> <br />Models still shuffle along the runway in sandals, still trussed up in traditional 'obi' belts.<br/> <br />But in his 42 new creations, gone are conservative colors and patterns. Instead, there are horizontal lines, checks -- and even the occasional polka dot.
