National Aesthetics: Week 3 -- Stephen Nienu

Sunday, January 31, 2016

Week 3 -- Stephen Nienu

From Copycat Culture to Streetwear Dominance

Shortly after WWII, Japan had to rebuild. Kensuke Ishizu took the liberty of bringing the western dapper look to Japan. In Chantal Fernandez’s article “How American Style Fueled Postwar Youth Fashion In Japan” Fernandez describes the influence or the copycat culture that Japan fashion designers took from the United States. Although, I do believe that Japan started off with a copycat culture it has turned into its own culture. Today, Japan is one of the largest capitals of exclusive streetwear that is vied from every knowledgeable customer from the Japan to the United States and everywhere in between. Japanese fashion designers are making a mark on fashion that transcends local culture. Brands and fashion designers such as: A Bathing Ape, Comme des Garcons, Onitsuka Tiger, and Yohji Yamamato are the pinnacle of streetwear and high-end fashion. A Bathing Ape and Comme des Garcons both sell out of their inventory within minutes. Lines wrap around multiple blocks and the exclusivity of the item is what drives many to flock toward these brands. Onitsuka Tiger has recently collaborated with BAIT NYC, one of New York’s premier streetwear stores, and released a shoe in honor of Bruce Lee. Lastly, Yohji Yamamato is a fashion icon. His concepts along with Rei Kawakubo (Comme des Garcons) separated Japanese fashion from the “copycat” image and influenced the Japanese fashion culture to what it is and known for today.

Here is a YouTube video depicting the BAIT x Onitsuka Tiger collaboration with the Kinjaz