A tiny detail, that typically has no effect whatsoever to the wearability or structural integrity of a piece, that I've come to appreciate from the few Japan-made items I've purchased is the absolute lack of any loose thread whatsoever. Every single one has arrived completely pristine. It's just something I've come to expect and often just trim off and clean up myself on other newly-bought clothes from elsewhere.
@@colmcgillveray1010 That's one thing I didn't specifically elaborate on, but ironically, my pieces from Kapital and other brands that specialize in 'worn' or 'unfinished' looks are just as clean as the minimalist and more formal brands in this department. Aside from the intentional chain stitch runoff, of course.
i lived in japan for 6 years, the clothes I bought even from Amazon japan were way better quality than anything you can find here for the same price, but not only quality, the style the details is second to none, now I usually buy clothes directly from Amazon Japan and ship to US. Japan takes whatever they absorb from the world and they make it x100 better, for example the best hamburger I have ever eaten was in this American style hamburger place in Jiyugaoka Tokyo (Bareburguer)
@@USandGlobal that is not the point of these conversation, America is the largest economy in the world no question about this, we are talking about fashion, relative price and quality of goods here
@@USandGlobal You guys only need another place to park aircraft carriers for sphere of influence. And we get along a lot better with China nowadays. With the un-prosecuted rapes committed by American soldiers, make no mistake, Americans are tolerated, not needed.
I know one of the folk form one of the Scottish families that own a cashmere business. Their sweaters were worn by JFK and were an Ivy League staple. He states that without the Japanese market recognising the quality of the garments and buyers from Japan sourcing them, they would have went under in the 90's.
I have been hunting for high quality wool at an affordable price for years. Sadly I didn't find much affordable (to me at least) wear. I do however have a wonderful, but small (unfortunately) list of makers that sell 100 percent wool sweaters. Perhaps your folk is on that list.
That point you made about Japan not claiming to be originators, I think really helps the titled statement's case. In the west, specifically the US, we seem to always credit famous people as originators. Then a famous brand picks it up and instead of knowing the history and context because celebrity x "originated" it, they don't know where to go from there. "Can't know where you're going, if you don't know where you come from"
Where the Japanese excel is the styling and quality of the classic Americana aesthetic. This brings them to the next level and like you said create something "truly special."
I have observed this Japanese Americano fashion style in Japan… which I love…and you have articulated that so well. The way they wear the Indian jewelry, the Indian style vest (if I described it correctly), the cowboy boots, denim… vintage America sweaters, military jackets…etc. it’s just soooo cool. I would say personally I love the Japanese Amercano style more 😉because of that Japanese characters in it 😊
Excellent conversation Sir! Japan has always expressed tremendous quality and detail in their tech, fashion and automobiles! As one who lives in america, superior brands like Roland, Yamaha, Toyota and Honda users are everywhere over here. The people of Japan should be applauded for their consistency and continued success in all the goods they skillfully create. It does speak loud when you see americans utilizing more Japanese goods over american goods...they know the quality and attention to detail fully outways the american experience. I like the recognition of their fashion designers too! Considering all the attacks Japan has endured they still bloom and their seniors live very long lives in the 100s! Keep up the great work, thanks for the video!
Nailed it. However it is hard to express Japanese culture and style to non-Japanese or those who live outside of Japan. It is a wonderful place and experiencing it over a period of time allows for the person to truly absorb
I keep things very basic, but I've been doing my best to grab up secondhand Japanese cottons (sweaters and jeans, especially). The textile weight, feel, and quality is completely on another level than any of the other clothes I have.
Great video my man. There are two brands worth mentioning within the amekaji/ Americana community. Buzz rickson and The Real McCoys. Arguably two of the best vintage repro Brands from Japan.
I'm gonna double down on your insane craftsmanship and quality control point. Just looking at stitching, fabric, and fit, the only gear in my closet that is tailored as well as my off-the-rack Yohji Yamamoto pieces are traditional Italian men's wear such as Canali and Kiton that don't consider fashion at all.
In a general sense and not just Americana, its hard to tie American fashion to quality control and consistency, America its gotten so hyper focus on pushing out fashion from a purely commercial stance at the cost of not only its quality but also everything else that doesn't get them consistent fast money.
Overall I would say I agree. However I talked with you in your live streams before Reggie about how frustrating it can be trying to look for americana clothes from Japan with an authentic cut. I think since the Japanese already didn’t fit the body shapes of classic cuts they were okay with changing them. The issues comes then people like me look for true vintage cuts don’t feel satisfied by many Japanese options. Objectively they meet many of the needs and details perfectly. I just often feel disappointed by the change in the cut that often takes place. I feel that cut and pattern is so often neglected since such a large portion of the population( even true fashion fans) all wear the same medium low rise in their pants. This stops the proportions from truly being the same as they truly were back in the day. Specifically a proportioning where the torso is 1/3 of the proportion with the legs being 2/3. I know this is a specific knit pick but for me it’s personally make or break.
Great observations. I agree 100%. I would like to add Sweden as a country that has started to interpret Americana in a similar way. Indigofera is making americana/western/native american/workwear designs with an incredible eye on quality and detail. Although it's not manufactured in Sweden, they're having their work made in Portugal with the highest durability and quality. Sweden has for a long time been "little America" and inspired in a cultural way.
😮it’s the first time I watched a video that made total sense to me. Japanese are so passionate abt things that they go beyond its creators. They add their own history, knowledge, perfectionism and PASSION! I learn so much from them and will always learn! The Japanese made me rethink my brand and my love for Americana/militaria. I see things with their eyes now and it’s has been a beautiful trip…and still traveling! They are “nerds” in such a positive way, that the results are just outstanding. Finally, what I appreciate is their respect of the true origins/history of things. If it’s made in the USA, from the 60s, it’s a treasure! Thanks for this video and I subscribed! I have so much more to learn from your videos! Sonia 😊
I believe another attribute to Japan style is theor inherit stature. It's something about theor height and body proportions that allows them to wear items distinctively. Compare that to the somewhat average westerner where the length is totally different bodily wise.
Great video, but I realized there was no mention of how Japanese Americana also incorporate and have a true appreciation of vintage US Military style boots and Pacific Northwest boots. Such Clinch who is a well sought after boot brand in Japan with their Yaeger boot which is inspired by the U.S. Marine Boondocker boot and their famous engineer boots inspired by what was worn by the likes of Marlon Brando and James Dean. Not to mention Stumptown and other brands getting a license to make their own custom White’s boots which are a famous Pacific Northwest boot brand and made the first and best work and casual boots. All of these are still using the classic designs of the boots, but with a little innovation and constant focus on the craft along with a huge admiration of the past which are great points in your video.
I’ve thought this for a long time and I’m glad it’s being represented. They also create and rework the wheel in a more effective, efficient and sustainable way.
I love the Japanese attention to detail they are the cutting edge of modern classical fashion; I believe Manga also influences fashion just love their interpretation of period fashion and European styles.quality over quantity in everything they make
Me personally I'm not into fashion at all. But, I heard Japenese fashion brands who got inspired by American fashion brands would fly to America and go into vintage shops de-construct the material and pretty much made their clothes with material much better
@@shnwll1756 i dont really know any other than MCS , i live in greece and we dont have a huge collection of brands . ralph lauren and mcs are reliable clothing brands that lasts for life . mabe in a collection of lacoste for instance try a western style , its not worng to try that .
Great episode. I've been telling my Hong Kong friends for years. They always tell me Japan is the design industry leader. When I tell them, when I was in design school, the Japanese students look up to America for inspirations. They need to rethink this model a bit. I'm glad you finally put this out in the open.
The thing is, the Japanese students may look up to America for inspirations, BUT ALSO to the Scottish AND to the French AND to ... everything else they can find, without letting go of their own traditions - the complaint I got from Americans in Japan was that Japanese were too stubborn in their insistance that everything in their history was relevant to today. They may not wear the court robes from the 9th~12th century Imperial Japanese court, but the color combinations prescribed for court robes in that period today find their way into their modern color combinations and coordination... not just because their grandmother's dictionary of classical Japanese language had pages and pages of prescribed color combinations and the name for each of them in the back appendix, but because it's a cool idea and great look.
There are a LOT of us who have very little interest in Americana from America and only appreciate the Japanese take on Americana. For those fans, there's no point comparing the two.
I found it hilarious especially in kyoto is how hard it was to get Japanese brand denim especially secondhand. They really love Levi's and the denim jackets there even secondhand could be easily 200k yen.
Levis recently discontinued their LVC 501 line which were the last real quality denim that fit truely like how denim used to be made in the past. with these 501 quickly dissapearing. i have to say to get that level of detail i have to buy japanese denim. I still think lvc501 straight leg fit better but the japanese wharehouse brand fit pretty close
I would love a pair or two of the baggy Japanese bibs that I get ads for often, but I'm a tall, big dude, and I'd be something like Asian size 5X, which I never see. haha
I thought this was gonna be about japanese american fashion (as in japanese diaspora living in america) and got excited as a japanese canadian person. this is cool too though.
Thank you Man, a video i been waiting on you to talk about this more and go more into detail. I just have a hard time getting American pieces from Japan. Like i need a plug man haha.
Bro. When I was living in Japan, one thing I most definitely learned is that Japan does EVERYONE'S fashion better than they do; it's not just American fashion. And this goes doubly for the girls! Any fashion you see out there, there's a Japanese person doing it, and doing it better than its native people. Japanese girls do black girls better than black girls, white girls better than white girls, Latinas better than Latinas, Grunge, Hip Hop, 80s, 90s, 2000s, EVERYTHING better than where and with whom it originated. I think it has to do with what I like to call "ganbaru spirit". Whatever the Japanese set their minds to do, they do with excellence. Otherwise, it's not worth doing. And so they boil a style down to its core elements - what makes it what it is - and then they did THAT with dedication and excellence that is virtually unmatched in the world. And in the process, they often actually IMPROVE on people's native styles. Honestly, I understand why you're in Japan if you love fashion. You can find anything there, and find it done WELL. And you'll find endless inspiration for your own style as well. It's a constant feedback loop of sheer excellence and genius. The ONLY problem is, it's not for men MY size. I'm literally twice as big as most Japanese men. When I lived there, I had to order my clothes online from America. But talk about inspiration? DAMN!!!
I suppose is the distancing that allows them to capture the essential silhouette whilst if you ask an american to do americana, everything just seems normal and you end up with a suit made of a flag thinking "but will they get this is american?"
What an awesome topic to discuss. thank you for sharing these super interesting perspectives on men's fashion. I love Japan's fashion and subcultures and have always wondered what made them so unique when they were clearly borrowing from other cultures and countries. So cool. 👏
It's not even a contest really. Heritage American brands have fallen behind due to mass industrialization, and newer startups are trying to catch up (sourcing Japanese fabrics, etc. but the fits are never on point).
I'm not into fashion, but I love the fact that Japanese have "quality over quantity" mindset on things they buy and make. They appreciate quality over mindless wasteful consumption that US people have. Even their quality used items are in far better quality than brand new cheap knockoffs sold in Ebay and Amazon US, in my opinion.
I’ve lived in Japan for nearly a decade and I agree with your assessment. Perhaps you missed the Japanese love for “uniforms”. So the vintage guys would ask themselves “what is the Americana uniform?” And they get redwing boots and selvedge denim and they look great - but it’s treated like glam clothes and not work wear. I’ve often been looked down on by these dudes coz my boots are old or my jeans are worn. I say with love that the Japanese have a poser problem
There's a Sapporo Beer commercial that highlights Japanese Americana and how the Japanese love it. The voiceover in the commercial says they wanted to create a beer inspired by American beer. As a Canadian I can confirm that they made a perfect American beer because it is equally bad as all the crap American beer that disgraces Canadian shelves! 🍻 So yes Japanese Americana is better than American Americana!
I've been saying this for damn near 20-15 years now!! Thank you for speaking on this!!! 💯💯 Levi's vs Evisu.. I need Evisu for style frfr! (Or even Sugar Cane, Human Made or Red Monkey) Bape vs Supreme.. Idk.. Maybe Bape, even now with style & heritage. Supreme doesn't have a Bapesta! Lmao 💯😅 (I'm trippin b/c, Idk shit in fashion!!) Let's not speak about "Anime" Lmao.. 💯😈
History: I am hard pressed to cite work on the influence of WW11 and the American occupation of Japan - as you mentioned this has been going on for 70+ years...the time of the War.
Great content, and it is sad at the same time America has forgotten America, even has over looked the value and rich art and heritage of our native American people handmade jewelry it's amazing how we went to war with this nation and they remembered who we were not as enemies but our heritage the good parts of being American and held on to our heritage and history of America. Now, we pay astronomical prices for our own ingenuity, and American know how. The truth is they didn't make it better they just picked up what we threw away that the average working person can't afford the price of what once was made for them, but now only the rich can afford. This generation doesn't remember that at one time everything was made in Japan not in China and was not considered very good but cheap by all quality standards now we pay 300 to 1000 dollars for a pair of jeans and boots and clothing from Japan 😂😂😂is hilarious
I just went to a few Kapital stores in Tokyo, not strictly Americana only, but they had a bunch of Native American designs on their clothes, and some Native American jewelry. I spent way too much money. The quality of the clothes compared to basically anything American was staggering. I was honestly blown away, and making gasping noises and shit as I was trying things on.
Because in the modern era you switch your artistic values from intricate swords and tea ceremonies into the casual workwear of your former military occupiers. This is coupled with the fact that in Japan ( like in Italy, France and certain other cultures) a great deal of the population still dress with a sense of style and self-respect instead of the prioritizing comfort and wal-mart level cheapness! The specific preppy and military inspired garments the Japanese is generally mid-century ( 1930's - 1960's ) and comes from point in American culture were if you were going on in public youd better be dressed like you had some common sense and self respect and certainly no pants hanging off your ass displaying half your crack,.LoL! However,.I honestly dont see any of my fellow American getting offended, upset or triggered, as noone else I actually know wears "selvedge denim " or even knows wtf it even is!
In all articles and opinion pieces about terrible style there is moreover 1 common denominator: American. No offense to my American brothers, your country has so much to offer. Style however is not it's forté. Also lived in Ireland and I would say something similar about the Irish, also no offense meant to my Irish friends. I love Ireland and miss it deeply, style wise however it is not that great.
I had no idea about any of this, but this video popped up on my recommended as an anthro student with interests in cross-cultural exchange as well as fashion youtube hit the nail right on the fuckin head.
A tiny detail, that typically has no effect whatsoever to the wearability or structural integrity of a piece, that I've come to appreciate from the few Japan-made items I've purchased is the absolute lack of any loose thread whatsoever. Every single one has arrived completely pristine. It's just something I've come to expect and often just trim off and clean up myself on other newly-bought clothes from elsewhere.
Unless it has a chain stich detail!
@@colmcgillveray1010 That's one thing I didn't specifically elaborate on, but ironically, my pieces from Kapital and other brands that specialize in 'worn' or 'unfinished' looks are just as clean as the minimalist and more formal brands in this department. Aside from the intentional chain stitch runoff, of course.
This is why Veilance is so popular. Lots of English brands have this level of attention as well
Except if their denim jeans, or is that deliberate...
i lived in japan for 6 years, the clothes I bought even from Amazon japan were way better quality than anything you can find here for the same price, but not only quality, the style the details is second to none, now I usually buy clothes directly from Amazon Japan and ship to US. Japan takes whatever they absorb from the world and they make it x100 better, for example the best hamburger I have ever eaten was in this American style hamburger place in Jiyugaoka Tokyo (Bareburguer)
could you share some brands or links?
They should of made their country better cause they still have the same gdp since 97😂 while still needing an American military base
@@USandGlobal that is not the point of these conversation, America is the largest economy in the world no question about this, we are talking about fashion, relative price and quality of goods here
@@USandGlobal You guys only need another place to park aircraft carriers for sphere of influence. And we get along a lot better with China nowadays. With the un-prosecuted rapes committed by American soldiers, make no mistake, Americans are tolerated, not needed.
@@USandGlobal Also, if by "growth", you mean valuing Facebook as a trillion dollar company, I think we'll pass
I know one of the folk form one of the Scottish families that own a cashmere business. Their sweaters were worn by JFK and were an Ivy League staple. He states that without the Japanese market recognising the quality of the garments and buyers from Japan sourcing them, they would have went under in the 90's.
JFK?
Oh wow, what an interesting anecdote. Thanks for sharing, Col!
@@rhino5100 Ha! Yep, him too! :)
Thank you for sharing Col. I have huge respect and admiration for Scottish cashmere. Is the gentleman you're referring to from William Lockie?
I have been hunting for high quality wool at an affordable price for years. Sadly I didn't find much affordable (to me at least) wear. I do however have a wonderful, but small (unfortunately) list of makers that sell 100 percent wool sweaters. Perhaps your folk is on that list.
That point you made about Japan not claiming to be originators, I think really helps the titled statement's case. In the west, specifically the US, we seem to always credit famous people as originators. Then a famous brand picks it up and instead of knowing the history and context because celebrity x "originated" it, they don't know where to go from there. "Can't know where you're going, if you don't know where you come from"
One of the best written and delivered scripts I've seen in a long while; eloquent, interesting, informative, well paced, impressive.
Where the Japanese excel is the styling and quality of the classic Americana aesthetic. This brings them to the next level and like you said create something "truly special."
This goes deeper then just Classic Americana it tells you aspects of Japanese Culture
I have observed this Japanese Americano fashion style in Japan… which I love…and you have articulated that so well. The way they wear the Indian jewelry, the Indian style vest (if I described it correctly), the cowboy boots, denim… vintage America sweaters, military jackets…etc. it’s just soooo cool. I would say personally I love the Japanese Amercano style more 😉because of that Japanese characters in it 😊
Excellent conversation Sir! Japan has always expressed tremendous quality and detail in their tech, fashion and automobiles! As one who lives in america, superior brands like Roland, Yamaha, Toyota and Honda users are everywhere over here. The people of Japan should be applauded for their consistency and continued success in all the goods they skillfully create. It does speak loud when you see americans utilizing more Japanese goods over american goods...they know the quality and attention to detail fully outways the american experience. I like the recognition of their fashion designers too! Considering all the attacks Japan has endured they still bloom and their seniors live very long lives in the 100s! Keep up the great work, thanks for the video!
Nailed it. However it is hard to express Japanese culture and style to non-Japanese or those who live outside of Japan. It is a wonderful place and experiencing it over a period of time allows for the person to truly absorb
I keep things very basic, but I've been doing my best to grab up secondhand Japanese cottons (sweaters and jeans, especially). The textile weight, feel, and quality is completely on another level than any of the other clothes I have.
what such brands and where do you look?
@@Sturnburn772 Naked & Famous Denim (and their shirts). New at Tate & Yoko but I get secondhand on eBay or Poshmark.
@@Sturnburn772try looking for vintage/secondhand The Real Mccoys and Warehouse items.
It seems like the Japanese fashion scene just cares more. It’s not all about “fast fashion”.
And loud obnoxious logo put on an overpriced simple t shirt like supreme and street fashion trends.
Great video my man. There are two brands worth mentioning within the amekaji/ Americana community. Buzz rickson and The Real McCoys. Arguably two of the best vintage repro Brands from Japan.
I'm gonna double down on your insane craftsmanship and quality control point. Just looking at stitching, fabric, and fit, the only gear in my closet that is tailored as well as my off-the-rack Yohji Yamamoto pieces are traditional Italian men's wear such as Canali and Kiton that don't consider fashion at all.
In a general sense and not just Americana, its hard to tie American fashion to quality control and consistency, America its gotten so hyper focus on pushing out fashion from a purely commercial stance at the cost of not only its quality but also everything else that doesn't get them consistent fast money.
Overall I would say I agree. However I talked with you in your live streams before Reggie about how frustrating it can be trying to look for americana clothes from Japan with an authentic cut. I think since the Japanese already didn’t fit the body shapes of classic cuts they were okay with changing them. The issues comes then people like me look for true vintage cuts don’t feel satisfied by many Japanese options. Objectively they meet many of the needs and details perfectly. I just often feel disappointed by the change in the cut that often takes place. I feel that cut and pattern is so often neglected since such a large portion of the population( even true fashion fans) all wear the same medium low rise in their pants. This stops the proportions from truly being the same as they truly were back in the day. Specifically a proportioning where the torso is 1/3 of the proportion with the legs being 2/3. I know this is a specific knit pick but for me it’s personally make or break.
when i lived in JP this was a constant issue for me and alot of my American friends
Great observations. I agree 100%. I would like to add Sweden as a country that has started to interpret Americana in a similar way. Indigofera is making americana/western/native american/workwear designs with an incredible eye on quality and detail. Although it's not manufactured in Sweden, they're having their work made in Portugal with the highest durability and quality. Sweden has for a long time been "little America" and inspired in a cultural way.
😮it’s the first time I watched a video that made total sense to me. Japanese are so passionate abt things that they go beyond its creators. They add their own history, knowledge, perfectionism and PASSION! I learn so much from them and will always learn! The Japanese made me rethink my brand and my love for Americana/militaria. I see things with their eyes now and it’s has been a beautiful trip…and still traveling! They are “nerds” in such a positive way, that the results are just outstanding. Finally, what I appreciate is their respect of the true origins/history of things. If it’s made in the USA, from the 60s, it’s a treasure! Thanks for this video and I subscribed! I have so much more to learn from your videos!
Sonia 😊
American so called "heritage" brand like Levis, Ralph, Hilfiger, etc. fall into the need of profit rather than prioritizing quality.
And yet they still dominate meanwhile Japanese is just a knock off😂
I believe another attribute to Japan style is theor inherit stature. It's something about theor height and body proportions that allows them to wear items distinctively. Compare that to the somewhat average westerner where the length is totally different bodily wise.
Great video, but I realized there was no mention of how Japanese Americana also incorporate and have a true appreciation of vintage US Military style boots and Pacific Northwest boots. Such Clinch who is a well sought after boot brand in Japan with their Yaeger boot which is inspired by the U.S. Marine Boondocker boot and their famous engineer boots inspired by what was worn by the likes of Marlon Brando and James Dean. Not to mention Stumptown and other brands getting a license to make their own custom White’s boots which are a famous Pacific Northwest boot brand and made the first and best work and casual boots. All of these are still using the classic designs of the boots, but with a little innovation and constant focus on the craft along with a huge admiration of the past which are great points in your video.
I love the Japanese for their quality control. They were the only ones smart enough to buy the old looms for making quality denim.
I’ve thought this for a long time and I’m glad it’s being represented. They also create and rework the wheel in a more effective, efficient and sustainable way.
I love the Japanese attention to detail they are the cutting edge of modern classical fashion; I believe Manga also influences fashion just love their interpretation of period fashion and European styles.quality over quantity in everything they make
There’s a great Japanology episode on Hawaiian shirts and the ways Japan has been involved with them since their inception
They have a great fashion sense.
The answer is pretty obvious...americans do things first better and japanese cultivate better. Different strengths. The pioneer and the gardener.
I never understand what you are talking about....but........its so damn watchable dude!!!!!
Me personally I'm not into fashion at all. But, I heard Japenese fashion brands who got inspired by American fashion brands would fly to America and go into vintage shops de-construct the material and pretty much made their clothes with material much better
MCS (ex marlboro classics) fan here , and i understand now what the intention of the video was. thank you and BRAVO
Can you tell me about similar brands to that I only know ababout RRL
@@shnwll1756 i dont really know any other than MCS , i live in greece and we dont have a huge collection of brands . ralph lauren and mcs are reliable clothing brands that lasts for life . mabe in a collection of lacoste for instance try a western style , its not worng to try that .
Great episode. I've been telling my Hong Kong friends for years. They always tell me Japan is the design industry leader. When I tell them, when I was in design school, the Japanese students look up to America for inspirations. They need to rethink this model a bit. I'm glad you finally put this out in the open.
The thing is, the Japanese students may look up to America for inspirations, BUT ALSO to the Scottish AND to the French AND to ... everything else they can find, without letting go of their own traditions - the complaint I got from Americans in Japan was that Japanese were too stubborn in their insistance that everything in their history was relevant to today.
They may not wear the court robes from the 9th~12th century Imperial Japanese court, but the color combinations prescribed for court robes in that period today find their way into their modern color combinations and coordination... not just because their grandmother's dictionary of classical Japanese language had pages and pages of prescribed color combinations and the name for each of them in the back appendix, but because it's a cool idea and great look.
Thank you Japan,much respect.
Great topic! you, sir, have framed the discussion well.
That knowledge you hit us with, about how Japanese source authentic indigenous jewellery, is some real f***ing irony.
Why
Craftsmanship!!!!!! Knowledge!!!!!!! Admiration!!!!!!!
Isn't it true that most of the American shuttle looms used to make selvedge denim are now in japan and used by these artisan brands
There are a LOT of us who have very little interest in Americana from America and only appreciate the Japanese take on Americana. For those fans, there's no point comparing the two.
Lol 🙋🏾♂️
I found it hilarious especially in kyoto is how hard it was to get Japanese brand denim especially secondhand. They really love Levi's and the denim jackets there even secondhand could be easily 200k yen.
Levis recently discontinued their LVC 501 line which were the last real quality denim that fit truely like how denim used to be made in the past. with these 501 quickly dissapearing. i have to say to get that level of detail i have to buy japanese denim. I still think lvc501 straight leg fit better but the japanese wharehouse brand fit pretty close
I would love a pair or two of the baggy Japanese bibs that I get ads for often, but I'm a tall, big dude, and I'd be something like Asian size 5X, which I never see. haha
I thought this was gonna be about japanese american fashion (as in japanese diaspora living in america) and got excited as a japanese canadian person. this is cool too though.
def my favorite style of fashion
please do an episode on Hysteric glamour ive been dying for one
The degree of laziness (or lack thereof, in Japan's case), basically
The Japanese took a culture and improved it soo much that the originators prefer the Japanese version. As Chinese, this sounds too familiar....
I am shopping in Japan.
Thank you Man, a video i been waiting on you to talk about this more and go more into detail. I just have a hard time getting American pieces from Japan. Like i need a plug man haha.
Love your shirt!
Yo Reggie, what brand is your button up? Love the style
Not a workwear person. But I’ll only go Japanese for jeans. Their horsehide leather jackets look great too
Thank you for this video 🙏🙏🙏
Bro. When I was living in Japan, one thing I most definitely learned is that Japan does EVERYONE'S fashion better than they do; it's not just American fashion. And this goes doubly for the girls! Any fashion you see out there, there's a Japanese person doing it, and doing it better than its native people. Japanese girls do black girls better than black girls, white girls better than white girls, Latinas better than Latinas, Grunge, Hip Hop, 80s, 90s, 2000s, EVERYTHING better than where and with whom it originated. I think it has to do with what I like to call "ganbaru spirit".
Whatever the Japanese set their minds to do, they do with excellence. Otherwise, it's not worth doing. And so they boil a style down to its core elements - what makes it what it is - and then they did THAT with dedication and excellence that is virtually unmatched in the world. And in the process, they often actually IMPROVE on people's native styles.
Honestly, I understand why you're in Japan if you love fashion. You can find anything there, and find it done WELL. And you'll find endless inspiration for your own style as well. It's a constant feedback loop of sheer excellence and genius.
The ONLY problem is, it's not for men MY size. I'm literally twice as big as most Japanese men. When I lived there, I had to order my clothes online from America.
But talk about inspiration? DAMN!!!
I suppose is the distancing that allows them to capture the essential silhouette whilst if you ask an american to do americana, everything just seems normal and you end up with a suit made of a flag thinking "but will they get this is american?"
What an awesome topic to discuss. thank you for sharing these super interesting perspectives on men's fashion. I love Japan's fashion and subcultures and have always wondered what made them so unique when they were clearly borrowing from other cultures and countries. So cool. 👏
It's not even a contest really. Heritage American brands have fallen behind due to mass industrialization, and newer startups are trying to catch up (sourcing Japanese fabrics, etc. but the fits are never on point).
BEST DENIM !!!!! PERIOD !!!
Your shirt is absolutely awesome, where does it come from?
Always looking for the next best thing🤦♀️🤦♀️ yes, no appreciation for the classic or something we'll made.
They are better cuz of cowboys, ronin, and anime influence nostalgia.
I'm not into fashion, but I love the fact that Japanese have "quality over quantity" mindset on things they buy and make. They appreciate quality over mindless wasteful consumption that US people have. Even their quality used items are in far better quality than brand new cheap knockoffs sold in Ebay and Amazon US, in my opinion.
I’ve lived in Japan for nearly a decade and I agree with your assessment. Perhaps you missed the Japanese love for “uniforms”. So the vintage guys would ask themselves “what is the Americana uniform?” And they get redwing boots and selvedge denim and they look great - but it’s treated like glam clothes and not work wear. I’ve often been looked down on by these dudes coz my boots are old or my jeans are worn. I say with love that the Japanese have a poser problem
hey can you drop the links for the videos you all referenced in this video? Would love to see the Japanese style timeline one!
There's a Sapporo Beer commercial that highlights Japanese Americana and how the Japanese love it. The voiceover in the commercial says they wanted to create a beer inspired by American beer.
As a Canadian I can confirm that they made a perfect American beer because it is equally bad as all the crap American beer that disgraces Canadian shelves! 🍻
So yes Japanese Americana is better than American Americana!
Lol imagine the outcry if we took something from Japanese culture and made it our own
What's the store at 3:24, please?
I have a question...from your video about brand philosophy years ago, When im doing research, what exactly am Im looking to find out about each word?
🤣 Well that's certainly subjective. I'd say different not better.
Amekaji?
I just found this channel. I'm not familiar with some of the terminology like Visual Kei. Is there a glossary for this??
I've been saying this for damn near 20-15 years now!! Thank you for speaking on this!!! 💯💯
Levi's vs Evisu.. I need Evisu for style frfr! (Or even Sugar Cane, Human Made or Red Monkey)
Bape vs Supreme.. Idk.. Maybe Bape, even now with style & heritage. Supreme doesn't have a Bapesta! Lmao 💯😅 (I'm trippin b/c, Idk shit in fashion!!)
Let's not speak about "Anime" Lmao.. 💯😈
As the wise words from Conway the Machine..."Talk to them..."
Honduras, India, Malaysia, none of the clothes I buy are even made in the US.
History: I am hard pressed to cite work on the influence of WW11 and the American occupation of Japan - as you mentioned this has been going on for 70+ years...the time of the War.
who are people dressing for?
their egos
Great content, and it is sad at the same time America has forgotten America, even has over looked the value and rich art and heritage of our native American people handmade jewelry it's amazing how we went to war with this nation and they remembered who we were not as enemies but our heritage the good parts of being American and held on to our heritage and history of America. Now, we pay astronomical prices for our own ingenuity, and American know how. The truth is they didn't make it better they just picked up what we threw away that the average working person can't afford the price of what once was made for them, but now only the rich can afford. This generation doesn't remember that at one time everything was made in Japan not in China and was not considered very good but cheap by all quality standards now we pay 300 to 1000 dollars for a pair of jeans and boots and clothing from Japan 😂😂😂is hilarious
interesting
quality is quality. If you look at a classic 1940's women's wool jacket in a thrift store the quality construction is obvious.
I just went to a few Kapital stores in Tokyo, not strictly Americana only, but they had a bunch of Native American designs on their clothes, and some Native American jewelry. I spent way too much money. The quality of the clothes compared to basically anything American was staggering. I was honestly blown away, and making gasping noises and shit as I was trying things on.
Thanks for your dedication 🙏
I dont skip de 'space' 😀
yes , most of my american historic pieces are japanese
FACTS
Because in the modern era you switch your artistic values from intricate swords and tea ceremonies into the casual workwear of your former military occupiers.
This is coupled with the fact that in Japan ( like in Italy, France and certain other cultures) a great deal of the population still dress with a sense of style and self-respect instead of the prioritizing comfort and wal-mart level cheapness!
The specific preppy and military inspired garments the Japanese is generally mid-century ( 1930's - 1960's ) and comes from point in American culture were if you were going on in public youd better be dressed like you had some common sense and self respect and certainly no pants hanging off your ass displaying half your crack,.LoL!
However,.I honestly dont see any of my fellow American getting offended, upset or triggered, as noone else I actually know wears "selvedge denim " or even knows wtf it even is!
Many countries do Americana better than America. The Dutch, and the French to be exact.
Does anyone know what the video @1:42 is
Search Beams Tokyo Culture Story
In all articles and opinion pieces about terrible style there is moreover 1 common denominator: American. No offense to my American brothers, your country has so much to offer. Style however is not it's forté. Also lived in Ireland and I would say something similar about the Irish, also no offense meant to my Irish friends. I love Ireland and miss it deeply, style wise however it is not that great.
Japan Is AN artisanal country less and Better. American Is industrial strengt in Number
The student has surpassed the master. Japanese also Trump Americans at steaks and automobiles
Because America cares way more about profit than literally anything else
And then y'all woke up.
They're skinny and have better skin. Clothes look better on models.
Marx?
I had no idea about any of this, but this video popped up on my recommended as an anthro student with interests in cross-cultural exchange as well as fashion youtube hit the nail right on the fuckin head.
It may just be me but the title is full of hate/ self hate.
お見事でござんす。
Japanese people dress to stand out, americans dress to fit in.
it is much better than hip hop fashion which is overrated
🤓
I only enjoy Japanese aesthetics. I will never wear anything that would be fashionable and draw attention.
A M E R I C A N A B O I S
japan does everything better bro
Japanese is the third after, England and Italian.