International fashion leader in Japan
Posted by: kirin on 
Dec 17th, 2008 | 
Filed under: Fashion, What's New?
I’ve updated Tokyo Kawaii TV page with a new video, titled “Tokyo Kawaii International”.
Please watch the show and let me hear your voice!
Personally I enjoyed the show very much.
We used to be kind of people who wear Kimono, and so, general clothes like we wear nowadays are from Western culture. Nevertheless, while we enjoy our way of dressing them, that attracts young people from U.S and Europe without knowing… And it’s interesing to know that international students from other countries come to study fashion design in Japan. What’s fascinating about Tokyo fashion? Is it exceeding London, Paris, Milan or NY in some ways? I don’t think so. Sometimes the show goes too extreme, which I am speaking about any TV shows, and this might be so.
Indeed, it’s true when I’m walking around Harajuku, I can see people dressing very uniquely.
I might be one of them if I were much younger, but I just don’t feel any negative about that. I always enjoy myself surrounded by such people whenever I go to Harajuku.
Have you been to Harajuku or do you want to be there if possible? What do you think?
Are Japanese gothic fashion or kawaii things sold in your country?
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December 17th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Hi Kirin! I just found your blog from Nanyate?! It looks interesting.
I think one of the fascinations with Tokyo fashion for the ‘West’ is that it is just really different. Japanese culture is so different from European or American culture and it reflects in the different styles of dress. Actually I just went to Tokyo and I was really impressed with how different everything looks. It feels like visiting the future somehow.
One thing which I noticed there, quite a few people were going around in Kimono (especially in Kyoto but also in Tokyo). Is it quite normal for some people to wear Kimono or do they just put it nowadays for special occasions?
December 17th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
I think Japan is definitely winning out in the fashion scene since there are people going to the extreme. Here in America, anytime I wear my red bellbottoms, people just get in my face about it. I bought them in Japan! I think American’s like to pretend they are independent thinkers, but the truth is they fear things that are different. If you are white, you can’t dress like a black person. If you are boy, you can’t dress like a girl. There is a lot of conservative people here in America. I’d assume Europe is the same.
December 18th, 2008 at 2:29 am
@Liz,
Thanks for your visit from “Nanyate?” which I also read sometimes. Well, your comment sound very interesting to me. Did you feel everything so different when you were here? Wow! I’ve been to Europe and also lived in the U.S & Australia for a while to study or to work, but the difference I found there was something that I can easily expect. I remember I was very much surprised to see vending machines do not work well, or public transportations do not depart or arrive on time, people hug & kiss to express feelings so strongly, etc. In the U.S I was shocked to see people wearing a sweat shirt with university name such as “UCLA” on. While in Australia I found wrong Kanji T-shirts sold and that made me laugh! More than anything, language is so different and I think that’s the most I suffer from!!
In reply to your question, Kyoto is a special place where you can see Maiko girls (from the age of 15 or 16 they learn how to entertain guests with dance, sing, and tricks) who normally wear Kimono. In Tokyo, elder people (sometimes loaded ones) wear Kimono usually and they’d be shopping in weekday afternoon in Nihonbashi – Ginza area. Or women at the age of 20 celebrate “Coming-of-Age Day” about mid January and that day, almost everyone enjoy wearing Kimono. Also, graduation from university or at some events, we wear Kimono, but not for daily use, since Kimono is a dress for special occasions. You can see when you hear how much Kimono costs. Kimono is made of silk and painted by hands. There are several kinds but usually we have to pay more or less than US$10,000 equevalent of Yen for 1 Kimono.
@Jeshii,
Really? That was an interesting story, Jeshii.
That’s my opinion.
There might be something for the people in the U.S to follow and that is not mentioned as is regarded as rules without spoken. One thing Japanese people are good at is that we like to mix-up anything. We’ve already mixed up various essences including culture, cooking, clothes, way of living, etc. and so we’ve been to numb to mix-up styles.
December 18th, 2008 at 5:38 am
I was in Japan recently for a few days and I liked how the women dressed. Japanese women are very fashionable. I particularly like the combination of boots and miniskirt
for me that has been the japanese look.
December 24th, 2008 at 9:27 am
@Con-Con,
Thanks for your comment.
I can see what you mean. As you point out, Japanese ladies are very fashionable. I’d say they are paying so much attention to what they wear, how they make-up, what they have, and more, catching up with the latest vogue.
Hahaha!
I’m a Japanese, but I said “they” ‘cos I’m not actually that much fashionable…
I like to look around and find kawaii outfits but I don’t spend good amount of money for myself. Most of the time I spend with least make-up and casual clothes. 
February 4th, 2009 at 9:00 am
i really enjoy japanese fashion. in fact i like it so much i incorporated the word into my own t-shirt line. i think for being such a conservative country by western standards we are consistently shocked by the audaciousness, creativity and flat out weirdness of their fashion movements there. i really feel like putting on clothes over there is a deliberate activity; every piece, arrangement, color, fabric, etc. has its own purpose. its like art. over here in the states….not so much.
February 7th, 2009 at 5:55 am
@Wake.Up.Tokyo,
Thanks for your comment.
Somehow, we are totally free from unspoken rules or styles when we wear westen clothes, we just wear as we like.
But when it comes to Kimono or Japanese way of living, such as Tatami mats, and paper sliding doors, I think we will be fixed with something must-follow rules that originally are from traditional ways.
We’d rather find fresh ideas from western people taking Japanese parts into their life. This is well-known as Zen style, or minimalism in interior design. We would never think of displaying Kimono like a tapestry. You know what? We immitate those exported Japanese style because that looks so cool, even though the original was from here.
Sounds funny, isn’t it?
September 17th, 2009 at 12:04 am
@Kirin,
That's a very interesting way of looking at it. That's something I would've never considered. It's ironic that the exported Japanese style is immitated. I guess its our way of showing flattery to the Japanese culture. I have yet to see anything as daring as the fashion I see from Japan. Whatever it is, I like it a lot.
September 17th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Yes, it's ironic. Same as western people copy Gothloli clothing exported from Japan, nevertheless the original is from Europe. We basically think that European people have good taste. We learn much from European interior decorations.
October 24th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
Which is the best school of fashion desing in Japan and were it is? Thank's
October 24th, 2010 at 6:02 pm
Hi, nice to meet you.
I like your way of thinking about japanese fashion. Im interesting in study fashion desing in Japan/Tokio. Do you know which is the best school and if they give the lessons in english?
Thank's
October 25th, 2010 at 1:12 am
It's Bunka Fashion College in Shinjuku, I guess. Please ask them if they offer classes in English.
http://www.bunka-fc.ac.jp/en/index.html
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