MV- Week 3 Blog 2

There has been many instances in life where our environment has unconsciously change our perspective of things and ideals. In an introduction from an article by Chantal Fernandez, “How American Style Fueled Postwar Youth Fashion," Fernandez created a connection between America and Japan. From the title itself, we can draw out various information between the two countries. American, style, youth, fashion, Japan are words we can easily picture but it is this word, “postwar,” that we may need to take a closer look at. Referring to WWII postwar, what we know but may have not taken into serious consideration is that Japan has been exposed to America. What this mean is that America has already infiltrated the life of the Japanese people, allowing Japan to know how they look like, how they act, and how they present themselves. In this article, Fernandez focused on a Japanese man named Kensuke Ishizu who is known as the founder of “Van Jacket.” Fernandez made it known that while Ishizu visited Princeton, “he realized that the preppy style of dapper young students was perfect for Japanese youth.” This then led Ishizu to create an Ivy model suit, a copied suit, that became popular among the Japanese youth. His analytical approach to the beginning of the interchanging shift in fashion could have been stronger if he had mentioned that the idea of accepting the change in fashion was on a better scale because American fashion was not something that they had just known overnight. It was something they have already seen and may have already taken an interest in even before Ishizu introduced his line of fashion to the Japanese youth. This idea may be the reason why American style strived in Japan. Fernandez went on to support the idea that America has now been influenced by the Japanese fashion where they have “evolved past simply copying Ivy League and American style.” Japan integration of American style made it easier for America to take an interest in their fashion. By having a little piece of everything, fashion becomes interesting, fun, and beautiful. This allows fashion to have a great influence on different countries.

         In relation to this week theme of copycat modernity, Fernandez made it visible to the audience that Ishizu took this one look and made the same exact look in another country where it became popular. Although it wasn’t illegal then, it may be illegal now. However, this theme of copycat modernity is what makes the fashion industry strive in this time period. For example, if we take a look at Victoria's Secret and it’s bras, one of the changes that it has made was this creation of push-up bras. It’s popularity in America has made its way known across the world where most country has taken this creation and accepted as well as making it a part of its society. 

Question: Why do people dress according to what is in fashion?

By: Mai Vang





Fernandez, Chantal. "How America Style Fueled Postwar Youth Fashion in Japan." Fashionista. N.p., 02 Dec. 2015. Web. 15 Jan. 2016.


"Why Is Japanese Jeans so Popular." Youtube. 26 July 2015. Web. 14 Jan. 2016.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLfS7INK2qw