Spotting the Trends in Japanese Fashion in L.A.
Japanese youth are among the most devout students of “cool” on the planet and make it a point of pride to literally wear their trendy interpretations of pop culture on their sleeves. The distinctions between fashion sub-tribes are so subtle as to be practically indistinguishable to Western observers, but to Japanese teens they are a symbol of belonging. Forget punks versus preps; what about boudaa-kei versus shibuya-kei?
These tribes also change with dizzying speed--small items like socks may change styles in the space of a few weeks. High school girls in particular are known to throw themselves into a new “kei,” or style, as soon as it bubbles forth from the pages of fashion magazines, or from the trend-setting racks and window displays of a mall called 109, located in Tokyo’s Shibuya district.
The slightly older and wiser--say, twentysomethings--are less likely to succumb to such trends but are still committed to knowing all the details so as not to be outdone by their younger counterparts. Many young Japanese who come to live and study in Los Angeles find the casual West Coast uniform of T-shirts and jeans “too simple, too rough,” says Kotaro Mori, owner of the Far East Connections used-comics store on Sawtelle, who also acts as an agent for a Japanese company that imports rare and vintage T-shirts from the United States.
“Some young people change their look when they come to L.A.,” Mori says. “They try to blend in, adopt a more casual style. But when they hang out with their Japanese peers--which they do all the time--they have to show that they are fashionable.” So they buy the magazines that allow them to keep up with the latest trends, just in case the occasion demands that they save face.
With the softening influence of L.A., it is unlikely you will encounter extreme fashionistas on Sawtelle like the EGLs (Elegant Gothic Lolitas)--young women who used to haunt Tokyo a few seasons back in outfits best described as Barbie-meets-Morticia Addams. The youth haunting Sawtelle are considerably more mellow and mature, but they’re still quite precise. Being outside the raging trend mill of Tokyo doesn’t mean they’ve dropped their obsessions. It’s just settled into a few more common types that seem to fit L.A.:
1. Boudaa-kei, or boarder style: a look popular among guys, but increasingly adopted by young women. It consists of casual/sporty duds favored by skateboarders, which one ideally customizes with a personal twist. On a recent afternoon on Sawtelle, Miki Sakoma, 22, broke down her look: low-waisted cargo pants, baggy T-shirt from the legendary skate brand Shorty’s, and Circa sneakers with a zippered pocket where a boudaa-kei gyaru (boarder gal) stashes keys or cash. Sakoma’s personal touch: purple nylon hair extensions and baby-blue contacts.
2. Shibuya-kei, or the look that originated in Tokyo’s Shibuya district. Feminine and casual, this style of dress is heavily reliant on high-end designer brands, so a credit card is an essential accessory. Miwa Harada, 25, recently found slurping an iced latte drink around Sawtelle’s Olympic Collection mall, explained what a shibuya-kei gyaru needs to look fly: micro-mini jean skirts, preferably from labels Frankie B., Seven or Paper Denim; sandals with sculpted wooden heels by Sky (“I have a collection of 20,” Harada says), and Christian Dior pink aviator sunglasses. Harada’s personal touch: topping her moneyed look with a “cheap” camouflage-print bag.
3. Vintage T-shirts: Perpetually enamored with things that are hard to find--the rarer, the better--the young and fashionable Japanese are currently mad for old T-shirts. Most prized are old employee shirts from Starbucks stores in exotic locations (Beijing, Europe); ancient T-shirts sporting the M&M;’s or McDonald’s logos; and dead-stock Adidas and Nike T-shirts from the ‘80s.
4. Customized cell phones: According to Look-Look, a Web site dedicated to the research of global youth culture, one of the hottest street fashion trends in Japan is teens “treating phones like pets or extensions of themselves.” Expect to see them covered in glitter and cute stickers, worn around the neck on a string like a pendant, or strung on a chain together with cartoon character dolls and good-luck charms.
For a full-on immersion in the alternate universe of Japanese youth fashion, check out a new book called “Fruits” (Phaidon Press, 2001), a greatest-hits collection of snapshots that document the weirdest and the most creative in Tokyo street fashion, by photographer Shoichi Aoki.
