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The Tokyo Look Book
Tokyo is home to the most creative and stylish fashion in the world. The Tokyo Look Book takes us on a dazzling journey through the streets, clubs, and boutiques of this trendsetting city to introduce us to the people who wear the latest fashions and the people who make them.
Crammed with cool, full-color photographs of Tokyo's trendy teens and twenty-somethings captured candidly as they work and play, this is a comprehensive look at the richly varied fashion scenes that thrive in Japan's capital city—from the "gal" mecca of Shibuya, to the goths and cosplayers who hang out on Jingubashi bridge on Sundays, through the cutting-edge kids on the Harajuku backstreets, to the stylish young professional men and women on Omotesando Boulevard.
Yuri Manabe's distinctive photographic portraits are complemented by insightful text from British anthropologist and fashion expert Philomena Keet, who offers witty and informative background information on each of the fashion scenes introduced, and a plethora of soundbites and quotes from the featured fashionistas. In addition, there are interviews and spotlights on Tokyos hottest fashion designers, magazines and boutiques, including:
SHIBUYA 109: Shibuyas iconic shopping mall
GLAD NEWS: One of 109s leading boutiques
REIKO NAKANE: A former trendsetting charisma109 shop girl, now producer of her own fashion label
MANA: Japanese pop star and designer of Elegant Gothic Lolita brand, Moi-meme-Moite
H.NAOTO: Creator of the popular goth/punk brand
TAKUYA ANGEL: Creator of the cult cyber-kimono brand
TEAM MESSAGE: Designer of skate/streetwear brands
DOG: Owner of a cult street-fashion boutique
SHOICHI AOKI: Creator of the influential street-fashion magazine FRUiTS
GARCIA MARQUEZ GAUCHE: The husband-and-wife team behind this stylish brand for young women
5351 POUR LES HOMMES: A fashionable mens brand
TOKYO FASHION WEEK: A peek behind the scenes
MANNENYA: Purveyor of traditional Japanese workmens outfits
Crammed with cool, full-color photographs of Tokyo's trendy teens and twenty-somethings captured candidly as they work and play, this is a comprehensive look at the richly varied fashion scenes that thrive in Japan's capital city—from the "gal" mecca of Shibuya, to the goths and cosplayers who hang out on Jingubashi bridge on Sundays, through the cutting-edge kids on the Harajuku backstreets, to the stylish young professional men and women on Omotesando Boulevard.
Yuri Manabe's distinctive photographic portraits are complemented by insightful text from British anthropologist and fashion expert Philomena Keet, who offers witty and informative background information on each of the fashion scenes introduced, and a plethora of soundbites and quotes from the featured fashionistas. In addition, there are interviews and spotlights on Tokyos hottest fashion designers, magazines and boutiques, including:
SHIBUYA 109: Shibuyas iconic shopping mall
GLAD NEWS: One of 109s leading boutiques
REIKO NAKANE: A former trendsetting charisma109 shop girl, now producer of her own fashion label
MANA: Japanese pop star and designer of Elegant Gothic Lolita brand, Moi-meme-Moite
H.NAOTO: Creator of the popular goth/punk brand
TAKUYA ANGEL: Creator of the cult cyber-kimono brand
TEAM MESSAGE: Designer of skate/streetwear brands
DOG: Owner of a cult street-fashion boutique
SHOICHI AOKI: Creator of the influential street-fashion magazine FRUiTS
GARCIA MARQUEZ GAUCHE: The husband-and-wife team behind this stylish brand for young women
5351 POUR LES HOMMES: A fashionable mens brand
TOKYO FASHION WEEK: A peek behind the scenes
MANNENYA: Purveyor of traditional Japanese workmens outfits
222 pages, Softcover
First published January 1, 2007
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146 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 15, 2008
An entertaining, and certainly informative, book, but it’s ultimately a bit like leafing through a fashion magazine. It’s visually stimulating, but intellectually unsatisfying; its scope is wide, but never deep.
The Tokyo Look Book paints a more complete portrait of Tokyo street culture than previous books on the subject, which often gravitate towards the most outrageous and avant garde fashions. Manabe's photographs, though sometimes out of focus, demonstrate that a woman in a fox-trimmed trench coat and skinny jeans or a construction worker can look as interesting as the teenaged girl in a lace pinafore, dog collar, and plastic Hello Kitty accessories.
Yet despite the wealth of information, there's a disappointing lack of insight. Keet never explains how any of these fashions and subcultures originated. As far as the reader can tell, the gyaru of the Shibuya area have always sported fake tans and frosted hair and their style has barely evolved in the past few decades. Keet mentions the influence of Western fashions on Japanese culture but refuses to explore its impact—what the Westernization (beginning in late 19th century) of Japanese style says about globalization, colonialism, or national pride.
Keet also communicates a rather naïve view of fashion and its relationship with status. She writes, "Japan’s attitude towards Western clothes has been unfettered by the accompanying rules of class and status that clothes in Europe have been soaking in for hundred’s of years." This assertion is difficult to swallow when Japan is one of the world's biggest consumers of luxury goods—of Louis Vuitton purses, Chanel earrings, and Hermès scarves—the ultimate status symbols.
Conversely, many of the Japanese punks and art students wear Dr. Martens, shoes formerly associated with the working class and, later, adopted by the punk movement in Great Britain. Though Docs have now been co-opted by the mainstream (and are, therefore, more expensive), they still maintain their history and symbolize certain ideals, such as socialism, anti-fashion, and rebellion. It’s unlikely the Japanese are ignorant of the social and class implications inherent in certain Western garments. Whether consumers are consciously or subconsciously buying into these ideas of class and status (or ironically commenting on them), they are still participating in and shaping the historical and social implications in fashion.
This—how street fashion reflects the world we live in (much more than the catwalk ever can), how it constantly tweaks and re-imagines history, how it can symbolize class and status yet can also symbolize the dissolving of class barriers—is what makes street fashion so interesting. It’s disappointing that The Tokyo Look Book doesn't explore the deeper significance of street culture and fashion in Japan, but it’s the most thorough and comprehensive overview of Tokyo street culture we've got. And for many readers, that is enough.
(The above taken from my review of the book, which you can find here.
The Tokyo Look Book paints a more complete portrait of Tokyo street culture than previous books on the subject, which often gravitate towards the most outrageous and avant garde fashions. Manabe's photographs, though sometimes out of focus, demonstrate that a woman in a fox-trimmed trench coat and skinny jeans or a construction worker can look as interesting as the teenaged girl in a lace pinafore, dog collar, and plastic Hello Kitty accessories.
Yet despite the wealth of information, there's a disappointing lack of insight. Keet never explains how any of these fashions and subcultures originated. As far as the reader can tell, the gyaru of the Shibuya area have always sported fake tans and frosted hair and their style has barely evolved in the past few decades. Keet mentions the influence of Western fashions on Japanese culture but refuses to explore its impact—what the Westernization (beginning in late 19th century) of Japanese style says about globalization, colonialism, or national pride.
Keet also communicates a rather naïve view of fashion and its relationship with status. She writes, "Japan’s attitude towards Western clothes has been unfettered by the accompanying rules of class and status that clothes in Europe have been soaking in for hundred’s of years." This assertion is difficult to swallow when Japan is one of the world's biggest consumers of luxury goods—of Louis Vuitton purses, Chanel earrings, and Hermès scarves—the ultimate status symbols.
Conversely, many of the Japanese punks and art students wear Dr. Martens, shoes formerly associated with the working class and, later, adopted by the punk movement in Great Britain. Though Docs have now been co-opted by the mainstream (and are, therefore, more expensive), they still maintain their history and symbolize certain ideals, such as socialism, anti-fashion, and rebellion. It’s unlikely the Japanese are ignorant of the social and class implications inherent in certain Western garments. Whether consumers are consciously or subconsciously buying into these ideas of class and status (or ironically commenting on them), they are still participating in and shaping the historical and social implications in fashion.
This—how street fashion reflects the world we live in (much more than the catwalk ever can), how it constantly tweaks and re-imagines history, how it can symbolize class and status yet can also symbolize the dissolving of class barriers—is what makes street fashion so interesting. It’s disappointing that The Tokyo Look Book doesn't explore the deeper significance of street culture and fashion in Japan, but it’s the most thorough and comprehensive overview of Tokyo street culture we've got. And for many readers, that is enough.
(The above taken from my review of the book, which you can find here.
December 15, 2015
The Author has done her research perfectly. This book provides you with detailed info. about Japanese street fashion along with interviews with the biggest Japanese fashion designers.
November 21, 2007
The chick who wrote this book decided to work at a boutique in Tokyo so she could actually learn to decipher what these fashions mean, what is cool and what is not and most of all- WTF? I can't wait to find out!!!!
SO:
This book really delivered. It broke down in detail the major fashion factions and their corresponding sub genres. It explained a great deal about the differentiations and the mentalities behind them-and there are interviews with the prominent fashion designers in each- If WTF is your question, you can learn much here!
SO:
This book really delivered. It broke down in detail the major fashion factions and their corresponding sub genres. It explained a great deal about the differentiations and the mentalities behind them-and there are interviews with the prominent fashion designers in each- If WTF is your question, you can learn much here!
November 28, 2007
"This book made me want to go immediately to my closet and put on layers of nearly matching clothes and funky accessories, parade around town, and pretend I was being trendy. ..." (Read my complete Amazon.com review of the book here)
Note: While I critique both purchased and free books in the same way, I'm legally obligated to tell you I received this book free through the Amazon Vine program in return for my review. Blah blah blah.
Note: While I critique both purchased and free books in the same way, I'm legally obligated to tell you I received this book free through the Amazon Vine program in return for my review. Blah blah blah.
February 1, 2016
Bought it a long time ago in high school and read it a long time ago,when i was crazy with japanese street fashion subcultures.Despite the detailed information,typical street snap fashion shot and appealing visuals, the author didn't explain how the fashion subculture was formed or originated. And it didn't really explain what the common japanese people thought about this kind of fashion subculture thing. But the author did a great job for the research for this subject, despite she's a non japanese people.
August 6, 2008
Reading this book was so amazing; it was like being immersed in a completely different culture with a completely different sense of fashion. The book covered a wide range of the different styles with many pictures to provide visuals. I think part of my amazement stems from wonder: these people must have a lot of guts and confidence to wear clothes like this!
Read
May 19, 2011Excellent, very different from the FRUITS series. I thought I was getting yet another "looks from crazy japanese from Harajuku" book, but it turned out to actually explain many of the strongest fashion groups in Japan, their codes and procedures. The book brings excellent cultural and anthropological notes on how Japan generated these original twists of western fashion.
August 22, 2010
Very insightful book on pop culture. Great pictures and very pleased with the pictures of Mana-sama! It's a great book to read/look at to see the Tokyo beyond the business cover.
Read
August 3, 2011This was a good introduction to the various styles. I especially enjoyed the sections on male fashion and the Gyaru scene as these were the areas I knew the least about previously.
September 30, 2011
Great overview with lots of photos and good information about the Tokyo fashion scene.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews