14 DAY TRIAL // Japanese street style has attracted fashionistas' attention since the late ’90s. It has always been on the cutting-edge and it has been praised for its whimsical and unique style.
This distinctive fashion style is characterized by neon, pastels, bows, and vibrant prints, and it originated among teens on the streets near Harajuku Station in Shibuya, Japan. It is also known now as Harajuku style and has been adopted by many teenagers and young adults in the area and its side streets which have many trendy stores, used clothes shops and boutiques.
The Japanese street style may have been brought to many people's attention by American singer Gwen Stefani. Like many other “street fashions,” it is constantly changing and it's hard to describe it in specific terms because it has many manifestations.
Harajuku Style has been used to describe teens dressed in many fashion styles, ranging from Gothic Lolita, Decora, Cosplay to Kawaii style and Japanese punk style.
In the spring of 2012, Manhattan photographer Thomas C. Card headed to Harajuku for a visit and took some impressive photos which resulted in a new book, called Tokyo Adorned.
He collected 132 pieces of bright color photos and put them together in an amazing book measuring 12.5 by 15-inch (31.75 by 38.1-cm).
The book presents 75 Japanese girls, who were carefully chosen by Card himself, showcasing their personal style. An index placed at the back of the book includes statements made by the girls summing up their fashion style and how their identity is expressed through it.
Besides the photos of the eye-catching fashion designs, the book also includes essays by psychologist Samantha Boardman about clothes and self, and by Buzz Spector, Dean of the Art School at Washington University. It also features an introduction from Barneys Creative Ambassador-at-Large Simon Doonan.
In an interview with Washington Square News, Thomas Card tried to explain why he chose to present the Japanese street style saying, “The focus on Japan for me comes from the fact that this is a very uniquely Japanese tradition. In Western cultures, we have this more Walt Whitman approach to identity where you see yourself for who you are, stripped down.
“And these girls, they really embody the antithesis of that. For them, you can’t see them for who they are. They’ve shown you who they are through this use of fashion.”
Thomas C. Card has worked before with Gucci, Barneys New York, and Versace, and has contributed to Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and the New York Times Magazine.
“Tokyo Adorned” will go up for sale next week. A part of the income resulting from its sales will be donated to Second Harvest Japan, the only nationwide food bank in Japan.
Check out some of the pictures included in the book in the photo gallery below.
