A 47-year-old Iowa-raised designer might seem
like an unlikely candidate for overnight success in Japan, but the country’s
long-running love affair with classic American style has turned Todd Snyder
into a fashion heavyweight.
Japan’s fondness for American fashion has seen Snyder open three stores in
the country in less than two years, and sparked a creative boom.
A new generation of designers are now adapting US staples like denim and
plaid to produce collections with a Japanese spin, building a global fan
base
in the process.
The story of American fashion in Japan began with Kensuke Ishizu, whose
1951 brand VAN revolutionised youth culture in the Asian nation,
popularising
styles worn by college students across the East Coast of the US.
Thanks to Ishizu, oxford shirts, slim trousers and other preppy staples
became the uniform of choice for Japanese men after World War Two as the
domestic fashion industry grew rapidly, influenced by American style.
“The Japanese are the ultimate students, they analyse things in so much
detail… until they have pretty much mastered whatever they are studying,”
Nick Wooster, former director of men’s fashion at Bergdorf Goodman and
Neiman
Marcus, told AFP.
Tokyo’s tiny boutiques are a treasure trove for collectors — including
many from overseas — who stockpile vintage American clothing, from
old-school
Ivy-League university sweatshirts to weathered canvas totes.
“At this point, the Japanese probably understand American classics better
than Americans do,” Wooster told AFP.
It’s a view borne out by the expansion of Japan’s denim industry, with even
US designers like Snyder choosing to source the fabric from mills based in
the
country.
Takahashi Yuji, men’s and sports wear buyer for Japanese retail giant,
Isetan, credits the country’s denim manufacturers for their craftsmanship
and
their openness to design experiments.
“Denim manufacturers are so passionate about creating new products and
breaking the norm. This really encourages designers… and together, they
are
able to create new products that could not have been produced anywhere
else,”
Yuji told AFP.
Japanese labels like Visvim and Mihara Yasuhiro create denim and plaid
designs featuring hand-stitched patchwork, pleated bibs and delicate, frayed
edges.
Their efforts at elevating the durable fabric to couture status are
paying
off, with leading stores like Barney’s in New York and Browns in London
selling their collections.
For US designer Snyder, who has made several trips to Japan over the last
two decades — mainly to scout American vintage products — the country
offers
opportunities for inspiration and expansion.
“They care so deeply about making things by hand, it’s always moving to
meet our manufacturers because you can see the respect they have for the
process,” Snyder told AFP after his show opened Tokyo Fashion Week on
Monday.
In a nod to his audience’s sensibilities, Snyder dressed his models in
ensembles that paired his designs with vintage clothing ranging from
paint-splattered trousers to dirt-stained shorts.
“I didn’t use vintage at my New York show, I don’t think they would
appreciate it there,” he said.
“People here really care about authenticity… it’s not just about
chasing
the next new thing, it’s about valuing where things come from and the story
behind them,” he said.
After his show, Japanese designer Mihara Yasuhiro told AFP he had
originally studied fine arts before turning to fashion.
“I never wanted to create sculptures or paintings (that belonged in a
museum)… I knew I did not want to create anything that people could not
touch with their own hands,” he said.
He added that he preferred to work with denim and other durable fabrics
because they age with wear, changing in appearance as time passes.
“In Japan, we find beauty in things that wither away. Denim fades with
wear, but does not lose its appeal, rather, it becomes more beautiful.”
(Ammu Kannampilly, AFP)