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top 5 japanese brands you hate and why


Guest jmatsu

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Guest jmatsu
ROSEBUD!!!!!!! that was definitely my spot, too along with shops like dep't. I'm really sad to hear Goro san passed, I had no idea. I used to (and still do somewhere in my closet blackhole) rock his hip bag thing along with my engineer boots. Oh my.

French casual was kinda fun, imo. I still love bands like agnes b. and APC. Though the merge of French casual/ Shimokita-kei/ Shibuya kei was horrible. That's when I brought my Olive magazines to the recycler.

I grew up in Nishi-ogi so my life revolved around garage/punk music. Hung out mostly in Kichijoji and Koenji. Watts, 20000v, Antinock, Loft were my second home... ahh natsukashii!

I am 30... you must be around my age if you know Milkboy?

31. damn koenji! locknloll. not that it's anything special, but i am a friend of hitomi-san's... i guess that's why i try to support milkboy (i know... not looking too good as of late). i'm just a year older then you, and unfortunately it's all business now. i probably don't own any of the same garments i did except a couple of cdg tricot pieces.

btw since you were out and about at loft/watts/20000volts etc. did you hang out with hiro and the cocobat crew? for pure nolstalgia did you run with an prominent (at the time) individuals i might have known or known of? that half chinese dude, maybe chai-san? i know it's a longshot, but believe me, as you know the world is fucking small.

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31. damn koenji! locknloll. not that it's anything special, but i am a friend of hitomi-san's... i guess that's why i try to support milkboy (i know... not looking too good as of late). i'm just a year older then you, and unfortunately it's all business now. i probably don't own any of the same garments i did except a couple of cdg tricot pieces.

btw since you were out and about at loft/watts/20000volts etc. did you hang out with hiro and the cocobat crew? for pure nolstalgia did you run with an prominent (at the time) individuals i might have known or known of? that half chinese dude, maybe chai-san? i know it's a longshot, but believe me, as you know the world is fucking small.

funny, i was beginning to wonder the same thing. i did see bunch of cocobat shows, but i never met anyone. i was leaned more towards the garage rock people, like daddy-o, guitar wolf dudes & their psychobilly fam, and people that surrounded jelly (or jerry) san / jackie and the cedrics. or maybe you know an american guy from b-more that practically lives in tokyo? or my friend from w-base, the bike shop.

i am sure we are about 2 degrees apart. tokyo is not that small in that sense:)

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Guest jmatsu
funny, i was beginning to wonder the same thing. i did see bunch of cocobat shows, but i never met anyone. i was leaned more towards the garage rock people, like daddy-o, guitar wolf dudes & their psychobilly fam, and people that surrounded jelly (or jerry) san / jackie and the cedrics. or maybe you know an american guy from b-more that practically lives in tokyo? or my friend from w-base, the bike shop.

i am sure we are about 2 degrees apart. tokyo is not that small in that sense:)

i never spoke (but saw him) to jellysan until recently. he was wearing a mask and uses that prefix "rockin" now i guess, so i can't remember what his actual face looks like. he was at the hys anniversary party and at the neighborhood tenjikai. i know that american b-more guy. i spoke to him a couple times like years ago. unfortunately i know no one from w-base.

"tokyo is not that small in that sense," true but i guarantee i know a friend of a friend of a friend of your's...that kind of thing.

i never really got into the whole psychobilly scene, although bands played alot at milk. the closet was the regulators and teengenerate (were they from tokyo? because the regulators were from osaka, i think). anyway great to stroll down memory lane.

remember when green (who i love at the moment) only made women's clothing. i bet you went all the way to ebisu to buy this, no?

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obviously he was just trying to get some attention by hating on things that he doesn't really understand.

i agree, bape wasn't always clown shit. i'm not going to lie, i owned a bunch. i probablt liked bape better from the nowhere era -and then when nigo was in bed with mo wax and not as bling as he is today.

i also don't fancy most of the people who wear bape now days.

Thanks for your assumptions. Obviously, if I don't like it, it's because I don't understand it.

I don't like BAPE and A Bathing Ape because I think that the basis of the brand had a lifetime of maybe 5 years, and going on 15 years, it's become extremely tired. I agree that at the beginning, it was fresh and new (and I've followed the brand pretty much from the beginning.) However, I see the designs these days, and it is a little sad, like a stale sitcom. All the good writing is gone, and it survives purely on the residual attachment people have to the characters, and on guest appearances. By way of contrast, Undercover still seems to be relevant, even if a lot of the stuff seems to be rehashing older Kawakubo concepts.

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Guest jmatsu
Thanks for your assumptions. Obviously, if I don't like it, it's because I don't understand it.

I don't like BAPE and A Bathing Ape because I think that the basis of the brand had a lifetime of maybe 5 years, and going on 15 years, it's become extremely tired. I agree that at the beginning, it was fresh and new (and I've followed the brand pretty much from the beginning.) However, I see the designs these days, and it is a little sad, like a stale sitcom. All the good writing is gone, and it survives purely on the residual attachment people have to the characters, and on guest appearances. By way of contrast, Undercover still seems to be relevant, even if a lot of the stuff seems to be rehashing older Kawakubo concepts.

fuck, i don't care. i was referring to good enough. how can you compare a&F to good enough? ridiculous.

i was only responding to milspex's comment about bape in the past. i don't even like bape (which i stated), so there is really nothing to argue or say about the brand (because it's been said a billion times in sufu, not to mention a couple in this very thread). i am sure we have the similar notions, but i have to DISagree when you say that "undercover sitll seems to be relevant, even if a lot of the stuff seems to be rehashing older rei kawakubo concepts."

what peices or lines are you referring too? which cdg line is undercover emulating? specifically when? please indulge me. here's your chance.

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fuck, i don't care. i was referring to good enough. how can you compare a&F to good enough? ridiculous.

i was only responding to milspex's comment about bape in the past. i don't even like bape (which i stated), so there is really nothing to argue or say about the brand (because it's been said a billion times in sufu, not to mention a couple in this very thread). i am sure we have the similar notions, but i have to agree when you say that "undercover sitll seems to be relevant, even if a lot of the stuff seems to be rehashing older rei kawakubo concepts."

what peices or lines are you referring too? which cdg line is undercover emulating? specifically when? please indulge me. here's your chance.

Well, about Undercover, when I was writing my last post, I was thinking about women's stuff from 2005 (or maybe 2006 - a menswear inspired collection) which had a lot of raw seams and a generally unfinished feel reminiscent of Kawakubo's aesthetic. It's sort of hard to pinpoint a specific collection, since the comparison I made was pretty general, and since there is is an element of the unfinished in much of Kawakubo's work which spans a couple of decades. I'll take a stab and bring up 1999 as an example - I remember there being a fair number of unfinished garments in that year's SS show. Heh, I feel like I am writing an examination here or something... Anyway, it's not like it's an original observation, nor a particularly insightful one.

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Guest jmatsu
Well, about Undercover, when I was writing my last post, I was thinking about women's stuff from 2005 (or maybe 2006 - a menswear inspired collection) which had a lot of raw seams and a generally unfinished feel reminiscent of Kawakubo's aesthetic. It's sort of hard to pinpoint a specific collection, since the comparison I made was pretty general, and since there is is an element of the unfinished in much of Kawakubo's work which spans a couple of decades. I'll take a stab and bring up 1999 as an example - I remember there being a fair number of unfinished garments in that year's SS show. Heh, I feel like I am writing an examination here or something... Anyway, it's not like it's an original observation, nor a particularly insightful one.

fair enough, but raw seams/unfinished peices? this is so general. it is a reoccuring aesthetic that cannot just be said JUST about cdg or undercover. i could say the same thing for the deconstuctionalist creative period for most of the antwerp 6.

when you talk about kawakubo's work and bring up 1999 SS show, could you tell me what line it was in the cdg fashion house. which women's line are you comparing undercover femme too? i'm not trying to interoggate you or put you on the hot-seat, but trying to get a better idea where your'e coming from.

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fair enough, but raw seams/unfinished peices? this is so general. it is a reoccuring aesthetic that cannot just be said about cdg or undercover. i could say the same thing for the deconstuctionalist creative period for most of the antwerp 6.

when you talk about kawakubo's work and bring up 1999 SS show, could you tell me what line it was in the cdg fashion house. which women's line are you comparing undercover femme too? i'm not trying to interoggate you or put you on the hot-seat, but trying to get a better idea where your'e coming from.

No, while it has been a while since I've really thought about this stuff (I've been more interested in diffusion lines recently), it is interesting to talk about designer lines. Yes, raw seams and unfinished pieces are pretty general, (we could also throw Antwerp Six inspired guys like Dirk Schonberger in to the mix as well. And of course, members of the Antwerp Six were in turn inspired by Kawakubo's work as well,) but I think that perhaps the Takahashi/Kawakubo comparison is more striking because of their direct connection. I was talking about the Comme des Garcons * line in particular.

On another note, about Goodenough, I am probably overreacting to the beasting over this label (Japan and UK), but I really don't like the overt branding on their tees and shirts, and their MA-1 style flight jackets, and I never thought that the design were particularly strong. There are individual pieces that I have liked, but for me, the lack of really strong direction is a killer. I much prefer 6876, for example, because I find the silhouette and details, consistent season after season, refreshing.

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Guest jmatsu
No, while it has been a while since I've really thought about this stuff (I've been more interested in diffusion lines recently), it is interesting to talk about designer lines. Yes, raw seams and unfinished pieces are pretty general, (we could also throw Antwerp Six inspired guys like Dirk Schonberger in to the mix as well. And of course, members of the Antwerp Six were in turn inspired by Kawakubo's work as well,) but I think that perhaps the Takahashi/Kawakubo comparison is more striking because of their direct connection. I was talking about the Comme des Garcons * line in particular.

On another note, about Goodenough, I am probably overreacting to the beasting over this label (Japan and UK), but I really don't like the overt branding on their tees and shirts, and their MA-1 style flight jackets, and I never thought that the design were particularly strong. There are individual pieces that I have liked, but for me, the lack of really strong direction is a killer. I much prefer 6876, for example, because I find the silhouette and details, consistent season after season, refreshing.

thanks. i actually have a better understanding of where you're coming from. i would think that jun t. would be influenced by rei k, because of their friendship, but i thought that since they are close that he would go out of his way as to make sure that that influence wouldn't be so obvious or reflected in his pieces. very liberally, i suppose it could go the other way (i still have my doubts).

i don't have a problem with someone not liking good enough (i'm no fan), but the comparison of a&f struck me as ludicrious. and besides a very small volume of ancient pieces, i didn't think that good enough's labelling is too overt...

i think that their direction has been an adult approach to more casual street fashion. less graphic influence that is.

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man this thread is like "talk about japanese stereotypes / styles" I love it.

tell me what category my girlfriend falls into.

she likes the color gold.

she likes skirts, she likes heels.

she tans herself lightly, but not to the point where she looks like she has artificially tanned.

when she was 中学校 / 高校生 she dyed her hair blonde-ish, orange-ish but she's now back to a deep auburn / brownish redish color.

she likes Shibuya the most for shopping.

in the summertime I'd say she dresses a little more "loudly": bright colors, shorter skirts (which shes stopped when I expressed that it makes me uncomfortable, ha), but when it cools down she's rather well put together,

I don't know what else I could tell to clarify how she puts herself together, but does this stand out as any particular sub-culture?

My guess would be onei-kei, with maybe a little ko-gyaru twist haha

oh and she says things strangely, for instance when she says "bye bye" she says it very... childishly to say the least.

But I've found that many Japanese girls do this.

WHAT KIND OF GIRL AM I DATING?!

TELL ME SUPERFUTURE.

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Guest jmatsu

my final judgement is:

KOGAL.

(the flower in the hair is what really tipped the scales)

btw- when she is angry does she often spout out, "cho-m-m?"

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ha!

I suspected that might be what she'd be labeled as, at least for summer wear.

in the fall/winter though I wouldn't say so at all.

she wears a lot of black, white, sweaters, she looks very put together and well done.

PLUS she's letting me pick her out a pair of denim to get her started in raw so I can't complain.

now tell me, is kogal necessarily a bad thing? ;)

I want to know if I can make fun of her for anything.

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Guest jmatsu
ha!

I suspected that might be what she'd be labeled as, at least for summer wear.

in the fall/winter though I wouldn't say so at all.

she wears a lot of black, white, sweaters, she looks very put together and well done.

PLUS she's letting me pick her out a pair of denim to get her started in raw so I can't complain.

now tell me, is kogal necessarily a bad thing? ;)

I want to know if I can make fun of her for anything.

it's not necessarily a bad thing, but let me put it this way, i wouldn't bring a kogal home to my mother or to any of my company functions. maybe that's just me and the circles i role with. i am 31 so...

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it's not necessarily a bad thing, but let me put it this way, i wouldn't bring a kogal home to my mother or to any of my company functions. maybe that's just me and the circles i role with. i am 31 so...
haha I see.

Well, I'm 18. So is she.

We both have time to grow up I suppose.

And like I said, it's mostly in the summertime that she dresses like that.

She's also very intelligent and has good priorities in her life / standards for herself.

As you can see I'm still wearing cotton-candy Bape T-shirts so.

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Thanks for your assumptions. Obviously, if I don't like it, it's because I don't understand it.

I don't like BAPE and A Bathing Ape because I think that the basis of the brand had a lifetime of maybe 5 years, and going on 15 years, it's become extremely tired. I agree that at the beginning, it was fresh and new (and I've followed the brand pretty much from the beginning.) However, I see the designs these days, and it is a little sad, like a stale sitcom. All the good writing is gone, and it survives purely on the residual attachment people have to the characters, and on guest appearances.

But Bape say pre-Pepsi collabo (when Nigo started going overground imo) and Bape now are completely different.

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why the fuck does that make you uncomfortable??

I guess I just don't like creepy other guys checking her out and viewing her as a sexual object.

plus the kokujin in harajyuku are the epitome of that, and it disgusts me.

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Guest jmatsu
I guess I just don't like creepy other guys checking her out and viewing her as a sexual object.

plus the kokujin in harajyuku are the epitome of that, and it disgusts me.

you should have alittle more confidence. in tokyo, i have definitely seen women dress way more sexually promiscous-looking then your girl. from the pics you linked, your girl has not even treaded upon tokyo slut-wear. i give your girl a defcom 2.5- out of a 5 on the kogal meter (no reason to run to the presidential bunker). i don't know which black people you were talking about, but if your referring to the nigerians-faux b-boys on takeshitadori, too bad. seriously, they check out EVERYONE.

also i guess i would kind of feel melancholy if they weren't in shibuya or harajuku anymore.

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you should have alittle more confidence. in tokyo, i have definitely seen women dress way more sexually promiscous-looking then your girl. from the pics you linked, your girl has not even treaded upon tokyo slut-wear. i give your girl a defcom 2.5- out of a 5 on the kogal meter (no reason to run to the presidential bunker). i don't know which black people you were talking about, but if your referring to the nigerians-faux b-boys on takeshitadori, too bad. seriously, they check out EVERYONE.

also i guess i would kind of feel melancholy if they weren't in shibuya or harajuku anymore.

I guess it's just a personal thing. I dunno, when she mixes real short skirts with heels it doesn't scream class to me.

So I guess that's just it. She realized it too, I just kinda vocalized it.

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umm, I might have?

I can't really remember. I should remove the links if I did!

not that i'm a creep or anything, but i found it within like 40 secs (guess i was intrigued to know if my memory wasn't playing any trick). i have such a good memory that sometimes it scares me, there should be absolutely no reason why i should remember that, especially that if was in september. i'm like rain man...

i pmed you the link if you want to remove it

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