Photographs from a small group of islands
I came across a shop near where I work this afternoon. And whilst I was reluctant to venture in, judging by the somewhat unusual figure placed outside, I’m presuming the establishment sells trousers.
Although on the other hand it may trade in brightly coloured and uncomfortably tight underwear.
Now I’ll admit that I’m no style guru. Give me a t-shirt and a pair of sneakers (oh, and some jeans I guess) and I’m more than happy. But even with my limited knowledge of style, I’m well aware that yamamba fashion is neither cool nor stylish. Take a look at them.
Yet as bizarre as they look, I do find them fascinating in a freakish kind of way. And whether you like it or not, they’ve certainly gone through a lot of trouble to achieve their desired look. The hours spent down at the tanning centre alone must measure in the hundreds.
Sadly though their numbers are slowly dwindling, and pretty soon they could well be extinct. So this may be your last chance to jump on the Yamamba bandwagon. I’ve already bought the white eye make-up and hair dye, but the only problem now is my pasty white skin…
Most major brands do well in label loving Japan, but Louis Vuitton is arguably the top dog. Seemingly for a large percentage of the female population, a Louis Vuitton bag is not just desirable, but practically compulsory.
Personally I think the brand is decidedly ugly, but judging by these knowledgeable shoppers, it just goes to show how much I know.
Obviously there aren’t people queuing outside the Louis Vuitton shop everyday, but from the number of Vuitton branded bags seen around Tokyo, it wouldn’t be surprising if there were.
For reasons unknown, loose socks are a fashion style I’ve always had a soft spot for. Not wearing them I hasten to add, but merely taking pleasure in seeing others wear them. Now the fact that they are predominantly worn by high school girls puts me in danger of being labeled something of a deviant, but if that’s the case then so be it.
For anybody interested, they are held in place by glue.
Norika Fujiwara that is.
When I first arrived here, Ms Fujiwara’s face was everywhere. On the rare occasions she wasn’t on TV, she could easily be spotted advertising mobile phones, cameras, airlines, and drinks. And as she’s especially pleasing on the eyes, there were no complaints from me.
But a rumoured affair with K1 fighter Andy Hug (who died at the obscenely young age of 35 from leukemia), and a change of hairstyle and manager, sadly meant that Fujiwara-san began to disappear from our TV screens and advertising hoardings. Also, in age conscious Japan, Fujiwara is getting a bit old. She’s now 33, which for a Japanese model means she’s way past her best. And I mean way past it!
But I’m glad to say that of late Ms Fujiwara has somehow bucked this trend, and is once again a force to be reckoned with. She’s thankfully sorted out her hairstyle, possibly lied about her age, and the advertisers are once again flocking around her.
But she’s not just a pretty face, as the ever-young model has taken up the cause of helping Afghanistan’s poverty stricken children. Traveling over there, talking pictures for an exhibition, and generally alerting people to their plight.
Of course it’s this aspect of her personality that has always fascinated me, and why she’s remained my favourite Japanese celebrity. Although as a side note, it has been rumoured that Fujiwara-san will be releasing a nude photo album some time this year. Which I’m sure will be, ahem, very tasteful and artistic. And providing proceeds go towards her humanitarian fund, I’ll be sure to pick up a copy.
