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I have only been to Japan twice that is if you can call a four hour haul at Osaka airport and an overnight stay in Tokyo a Japanese trip. I have always been fascinated by the place because to me it epitomizes the best in technology and total consumerism. Fashion in Japan is not something that I know a lot about but thanks to The Tokyo Look Book, you could say that I am now something of an expert on Japanese haiku style. This vibrant book is a pictorial account of fashion and fashionistas in Japan’s capital city. It is written by Philomeena Keet, a Brit writer, researcher and anthropologist who went to Japan at the age of 18 and totally fell in love with the place. “I have always loved clothes and fashion,” she tells us at a talk. “I went to Japan and become hooked.” The book is similar to the New York Look Book (which I blogged about here)in its approach but goes one step further by featuring the boutiques that the Tokyoites descend upon as well as speaking to fashion designers.Reading the book is like taking a stroll through Tokyo’s stylish areas while stopping to speak to the inhabitants. You have cool and wonderful colour photography courtesy of Yuri Manabe, one of Tokyo's top photographers. The title is divided into five chapters; Shibuya Girls and Guys - the trendy teens of Tokyo, Spectacular and Subcultural – outlandish attired young people, Youth Street Fashion – daring street fashion, The Stylish Female – young ladies about town who lunch or work and Young Men at Work – working men in suits. This book is glorious and I was hooked from the first page. Even the introduction is banging – Phliomeena’s passion for fashion jumps out at every page. If you are a fashionista beware – this book is to die for.
It is so good that the publisher Kodansha Europe Limited has given me five copies to giveaway. All you have to do is drop me an email at ondolady@googlemail.com and The Tokyo Look Book will be yours.
If you find yourself so obsessed with the book and craving for more then you will be delighted to know that there is a Tokyo Look Book blog.
http://www.tokyolookbook.com/
The Tokyo Look Book is out now!
8 cool comments:
I love the look of this! Is there writing in it or just pictures?
There is quite a lot of writing in it, intros on each chapter, interviews and profiles on various fashionistas. Check out this link on amazon.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/reader/
4770030614/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-page
I've never been to Japan, but it always seemed like such a creative, fashionable and fun place. Thanks for the heads-up about this book.
Of course, by the time the book has been printed and on shelves, those crazy kids will have developed a new look...
Once, when I was in Harajuku, I saw a tall person in a Little Bo Peep-esque outfit (short pink crinoline skirt, white headdress, white platform boots). Then I saw the five o'clock shadow on him...We later saw him again at a cafe, placidly eating a brownie sundae.
On the same day, I saw an obviously 40something man with a beer gut dressed as a schoolgirl (red plaid pleated skirt, white blouse, yellow hat, red leather backpack. I should probably clarify that it was a Saturday in mid June and there were no costuming events being held in the area that day.
Wonderful book! LLG xx
Great post!
I cannot wait to travel to Japan. It seems so fascinating and their style is so fashion forward.
I recall browsing through this book at a local shop. It's very intriguing. I always wanted to go to Japan.
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