Metropolis-Aug-8-2014

fashion fix
FESTIVAL CHIC
BY SAMUEL THOMAS
Fuji Rock may have come and gone for another year, but the rest of the
music festival season is still with us, bringing with it the opportunity to
sweat your stress away.
Those looking for a “cool”—in both senses of the word—way to combat
the heat of the scrum should look to Japan’s oldest textile: hemp. Worlds
away from the shiny, artificial AIRism offerings from Uniqlo, hemp has
been part of the Japanese wardrobe since the Jomon era. It’s used as light
layers in the hottest months and avoids the transparency of sheer cotton.
Festival- and wallet-friendly basics for men and women can be had from
Goa (www.goa-net.com), but for those who can justify spending a couple
of crisp ¥10,000 yen notes on a single item, the premium all-Japan hemp
shirts from Share Spirit (www.sharespirit.jp) ensure you keep your cool.
ON POINT
Released this month, Japanese
label Ne-net’s latest collection is
the talk of Tokyo with a mangameets-fashion
lineup that seems
to have captured the attention of
rebellious street kids and nostalgic
adults alike. The “KiraKira” series
features original illustrations and
characters from two masters of
the manga world: Katsuki Tanaka,
known for his cute, subversive and
surreal characters, and the worldfamous
shojo (ladies’) manga maestro
Yumiko Igarashi—as well as
illustrations from Ne-net designer
Kazuaki Takashima himself.
Fashion civilians can indulge
themselves in printed and embroidered
illustrations on relatively
easy-to-implement wardrobe staples. But the
adventurous can look deeper into the lineup,
where there are a whole host of silhouette-altering
garments to give your body the appearance
of having stepped off of the page. The collection
is on sale now at Ne-net stockists nationwide
and online (www.hmr.jp).
SHOPPING STRATEGY
One of Tokyo’s best-kept fashion secrets, the
Bedrock boutique in Omotesando Hills has
been dressing Japanese rockstars, including
Hyde, for the best part of a decade—not to mention
being responsible for styling the likes of
international icons such as Steven
Tyler and Lenny Kravitz. The boutique—literally
underground—does
not appear on any maps, hidden as it
is in the basement under the Forbidden
Fruit Café on Omotesando dori.
Those curious and with the necessary
fashion credentials are advised
to walk confidently around the cafe
counter to the unmarked stairs beyond
and follow the smell of incense
down into the gloom. Your reward is
an apocalyptic bunker—half pirate’s
treasure trove, half Mad Max wasteland—complete
with DJ decks for
when the space plays home to some
of Tokyo’s most exclusive parties.
On the racks, Bedrock mixes
rare vintage and antique accessories
from around the world with high
fashion from two of Tokyo’s most exclusive and
secretive brands: Le Grand Bleu and If Six was
Nine. Perfect for those ready to rock.
STREET
FOCUS
At the moment, the edgiest of Tokyo’s menswear
is all about the hard-versus-soft, masculineversus-feminine
contrast, with its most stylish
fashion ambassadors mixing leather and lace,
or pairing a higher heel with heavy rounded
shoulders to ensure that their rebellion is not like
that of their parents’ generation. Showing us how
it’s done, the design student above has paired a
hard, body-armor-like leather chest piece with a
loose sweater beneath, balancing out the spikes
and piercings with a feminine, sheer layer hanging
like a skirt off the waist.
Photos by Samuel Thomas
FASHION CALENDAR
Aug 8 | Rick Owens x Adidas
The stealth-bomber-inspired
Adidas Tech Runner by
designer Rick Owens hits Tokyo
in four monotone colorways.
Even priced at the upper end
of the market at ¥71,000 plus
tax, the leather and neoprene
designs will be selling for more
on auction sites post-launch.
www.rickowens.eu
Aug 8 | Fake Furniture
by Fake Tokyo
Those looking to echo their
avant-garde fashion in their
homes can head to Fake
Furniture in Meguro, a new
interior design venture from
Shibuya underground hub Fake
Tokyo. www.faketokyo.com
Aug 5-17 | Mode of
Barbie Exhibition
Celebrate 55 years of Barbie
in fashion at Seibu Shibuya. In
addition to 250 examples of
her own stylistic shifts over the
years, Barbie will be dressed by
some of Tokyo’s leading lights,
including G.V.G.V and Yasutoshi
Ezumi. meturl.com/seibubarbie
Aug 8-17 | Celebrating 20 years
of Keita Maruyama
Omotesando Hills is hosting
a retrospective exhibition for
luxury label Keita Maruyama,
showcasing 20 years of high
fashion decadence for all to
enjoy, regardless of the price
tag. www.omotesandohills.
com/english
Aug 15 | Kiko Mizuhara for
Opening Ceremony
Model and actress Kiko
Mizuhara is adding “designer”
to her repertoire with an
exclusive collection for
Opening Ceremony. The Disco
Bowling-themed series puts a
modern spin on retro bowling
shirts and adds disco flair
to streetwear basics. www.
openingceremonyjapan.com
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