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"In order to be irreplaceaple one must always be different."



Coco Chanel




Friday 4 February 2011

Hello Harajuku

Harajuku has to be one of the most infamous fashion spots in the world; Gwen Stefani heralds the style in her lyrics, and Lady Gaga has taken inspiration from this hot spot when creating her costumes (you can't call them real outfits, her every public appearance is masked by dramatic costumes). These pop celebrities aren't singing about nothing - it really truly is an inspirational place - quirky, vibrant and bold. 

Amidst the crazy outfits you find genuine design and style that does influence Japanese fashion houses like Comme des Garcons, Kenzo and Issey Miyake. One up and coming Japanese designer that I absolutely adore right now is Junya Watanabe. Whether fashion comes from the bottom up or the top down is impossible to say - but either way I see a resemblance between the knitted threads and patterned woollen knits that are big in Junya Watanabe's latest designs and what we're currently seeing in the streets of Harajuku. 

The outfit above is beautifully woven together in so many ways, from the gorgeous knits to the pairing together of exotic fabrics. 

This is a totally original look that I haven't seen anywhere in Europe. I can't quite put my finger on the key influencer but it has a taste of indigenous South America, native American Indian dress and my grandma's shawl. While the boots and satchel are totally present in London fashion, the rest of the outfit is unlike anything I've seen before.  If you visit Harajuku you will find Tokyo fashion, like Japanese culture in general, draws on the past while remaining utterly faithful to the future by pushing the limits.



Woollen knits with eclectic patterns are predominant right now in both Tokyo street fashion and Junya Matanabe's collection:



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