As you might have noticed, I haven’t been blogging as much lately; reason being that I had a holiday in Tokyo from 11-15th and been catching up with the local scene afterwards (Bazaar’s 20th party and agnes b’s store opening, Mlle b herself was in town with family and co.), and well… being lazy literally.
As for the trip, I like Tokyo better this time, as I never really went with ‘fashion’ people before, but this time was with my savvy cousin, so I get the interests and took a nosy round in search of shops and stuffs in all scales- the discovery, really. One main point I like Tokyo more this time, cos I shop more. By no mean at all referring to the designer brands which we get discount from friends et al in Hong Kong anyway, but the street-oriented designs that are well-made, -fitted and -priced which I don’t find in Hong Kong anymore. In HK, there are expensive, mid-range but bad-quality-with-no-soul, or just high street. I bought a lot of outerwear: jacket, baseball jacket, caban, blouson etc. The non-branded stores are heavily influenced by Junya Watanabe & Thom Browne; i.e. traditonal American school boy with a heavy twist and a lot of tartan here and there. Very very interesting indeed. Here’s the pictures I took from the trip:
(Below all) Freaky looking doll installation at Laforet, Omotesando. Very Nicolas Formichetti. The only thing worth seeing at the mall.
Typically Jap. Very cartoon. Very clean. Very homogenous. Very kitsch.
(L-R) The formidable stylish salesman at Comme des Garcons whom we dragged him out for this pic; CdG x LV pop-up store, picture taken from outside only, they have an exhibition upstairs, nothing special.
(L-R) Raf Simons’ new store in Tokyo, splattered with paint from this season. He has another one in Osaka where seems very fashionably happening now; and a gigantic Jil Sander store just 10 steps away.
(Below all) Deisel black label exhibition.
The very kawaii Merci beau coup shop. Hidden away from the main Aoyama shopping area. (Far left) We thought it was a window, when actually is the auto door. Tricky ~
Christophe Coppens who makes beautiful scarves and accessories. We went on the wrong day as they are closed to public for buying campaign, but we talked our way in and had a preview on SS09. Buyers will come in few days time.
Little shops with hearts and soul are hidden and surviving at the corner and back alley, such as Hermaphrodite (since 2006). We were drawn to the poetic window first. Oh totally.
Another one is Journal Standard. Their products are not cheap, but again, they believe in themsleves and totally character-driven, which is severely lacked in Hong Kong.
