The Doreme Matsuri, a school festival

2nd year student show

On the first day there was a typhoon! Gusts of wind and lots of rain, thus, the show was to be held inside. The second year students are divided into groups of four in which they collaborate on a design and idea, and put together a complete look, as follows:









One of the classes had a "maid cafe" at the matsuri. The students dressed as maids and served coffee and snacks. It was cold and my fingers were freezing. We went to have a seat. I should have taken a picture of the students in their maid outfits, and this one's kinda dark. I'll work on taking better photos.
There was a "T-Shirt/Y-Shirt Contest" (Y-Shirt meaning 'white shirt')
This girl, Yujin Oh, is from Korea. I remember she won an award last year for this contest. This year she made the shirt below, it's made of a semi-stiff material, something like a fancy canvas material, but softer and less stiff. The shirt looks like a jacket, no? She didn't win anything this year, too bad. The other pictures I took of the contest didn't come out so good, again, I'll work on it.
During the evening, there was a "Teacher Re-modeling" program. The students in the class think of a skit, or a dance, or a character for their teachers to be. This one was the best. I don't know who the teacher was supposed to be, but she was dancing her heart out, and the back-up dancers were her students. One of them is actually an assistant teacher.

Students in drag
Teacher in drag
It was so funny to see everyone dress in drag! Earlier there was also an event where one girl and one guy from every class dresses up in drag, with the help of their fellow classmates, of course, and go up on stage and get judged. Okay, sure, this is a fashion school, but even in high school festivals they have a contest or show where girls dress as boys, and boys dress as girls. Did we do that in high school? As an event we had to participate in? Huh?

So that was my weekend, and now I have Monday, and Tuesday off. Have to get a new cell phone, and clean my room, blah, blah, blah...

The design for the jacket, I'll hold on to it until we make coats. Instead, I'll make something a little more like...fitted, narrow, modern, a little...




Maybe green still. Better yet, bold green stripes! Yeah~!

Balenciaga photos from style.com
Stripes from nymag.com (Jeffrey from Project Runway)

doreme

At school, our next project is to make a wool suit. I was in Shibuya (I lost my phone and had to make some arrangements, accordingly) and went by the fabric shop, Marunan. They're right by the station, five flights, decent selection, and normal prices, if not on the expensive side. Incidentally, found that wool is expensive, avg. 3000yen/yard. Fortunately, they had this Kelly green, thick, like felt, wool that was on sale for 1000yen. So, as far as now, it's decided, I'll make a Kelly green jacket and skirt suit. I think I'll make the jacket more like a coat, long, a little loose, and the skirt will be knee length, slightly fitted, no flare, maybe a slit in the back. Very vintage inspired.
Prada, fall 2003
A double breasted coat, with a similar collar and cuffs, or no, maybe no cuffs. Three quarter sleeves. I'll make a sketch, and once I get the 'okay', I'll make a reduced pattern, half the actual size, using a ruler where the markings are half the actual measurements. After that gets corrected, it's cut and sew!

Balenciaga fall 2006. hmm, should I go for a mini?
this photo from style.com
above photo from jozworld.club.fr

LVFX

Yesterday was the Nakameguro Flea Market! The stalls began just around the corner from the station, and they continued all the way down to the end of the street. My aunt and I had a space in front of a cafe called Potager, where there were people lined up to eat. The food smelled good from where we had our wares spread out on the road. We tried selling old clothes and bags, silverware, and such. We sold a portable gas stove for 100 yen to a young guy who was overcome with happiness, and I was proud to be a part of that. Everything else went for 50yen. Honestly, we were happy if people would even look at our litter, let alone pay for it.

At previous Nakameguro Flea Markets, I have purchased some 'nice stuff': yellow Joseph LaRose pumps, 300yen, vintage Sonia Rykiel sunglasses, 2000yen, a black and red leather clutch, 100yen, navy rain boots for 200yen. This time I got this amazing reversible cape, yes, cape, for 300yen. It's tan and Sherlock Holmes-y on one side, and tartan plaid on the other. Black Cole Haan sandals, hot pink pumps, and a vintage sweatshirt with skiers in an 80's style print, those three for 100yen. A white Design House Stockholm scarf, and one of those ethnic scarves, two for 500yen. It started to rain before the flea market was scheduled to end, so everyone was trying to sell their stuff like mad. There's this one secondhand store I frequent called Jantiques, and by the time it started to rain they were giving away their dresses, sweaters, and shirts! Yesssss.

I don't know what it is about second hand, but I think that it's a lovely concept. Your sense of quality, and value gets recalculated by strangers whom hinge on their own credo. What they sell at Jantiques for 6700yen is really worth nothing. This one woman bought an old blue acrylic sweater that was damp from being left in the garage, and said how cute it was. One girl who was wearing a leopard print fur hat, and a kelly green vintage coat came and bought a plaid knit cardigan and skirt set (which I had my eye on, and was planning on taking home if no one bought it), and green fisherman's pants (which were mine, but I could never get the look right). She came with her mom, and was adorable. One old lady got a knit sweater with four bold black, pink, yellow, and green horizontal stripes (a sweater I got at the salvation army for $4.99), and paid 60yen instead of 50yen because she was willing to pay the extra 10yen. What a riot.

What didn't sell we threw out, but took the buttons from some skirts.

Moving on.
From Brazil. From Japanese and German parents.
Lovefoxxx.
images from POP magazine, and Glastonbury Live

Cansei de Ser Sexy, LVFX interview at indian summer festival

lovefoxxx

Cansei de Ser Sexy - Let's make love... (live)

Alala - CSS

CSS - Alcohol

pin-up

Aya t. Kanai, fashion director of Nylon magazine, interview(a).

Who are your personal fashion icons?
Pipi longstocking, she wore whatever she felt like… The original grunge girl… Ripped dresses with torn and mismatched socks, mens shoes, crazy hair. Love that. Having fun expressing yourself through clothes. I love it when fashion is a true reflection of who we are. It’s better than any runway on the planet. interview(b)

Mad props to the sartorialist for the picture, thank you very much, sir (it's linked to the picture's comments page).

"I love it when fashion is a true reflection of who we are."
Don't his pictures and his blog, and other "found style" street fashion/party picture profile type blogs, seemingly attempt to create a kind of criteria for this? A very discerning eye, he has, or perhaps he's just always in right place at the right time (fashion shows, fashion week). What am I trying to say here...If my fashion is a true reflection of my demeanor, my taste, my shape, why am I not on those blogs?!

I guess it leaves me room to grow.

a substitute

As far as online radios go, I used to use Pandora, until they restricted out-of-US use. This was a while ago, and I left it at that. What can one do?

By dumb luck I came across Jango.

The idea is the same, one creates their own stations, and gets acquainted with other music contingent on your selection of artists...and there's a whole social networking set-up with profiles and friend requests, blaagh.
the splendid interminable flow of music will be companion enough as I get tangled in this trellis

kudos to japanese pop art

s'inspiration

Antwerp Royal Academy of Arts 2007

Click To Play

student show

novelties

mercibeaucoup
they would be such a cute couple

ylang ylang
my fair lady, at the horse races

ne net
slinkys. the toy i never had as a child
h. naoto
same make-up artist from mercibeaucoup?

the perfect laxative

Wow. Fantastic. An American designer who can take the classic look, make it into silly putty, squeeze it with his hands until it oozes through his fingers and makes a terribly inappropriate noise that just makes you want to run to the nearest toilet and relieve yourself of all that hideous, ephemeral bullshit that has been clogging your intestines, and making you walk funny. You think to yourself, '"What a reaction! This feels ten, nay, a hundred times better than regurgitation!"
Yes, it's the hair. Yes, it's the gloves and those adorable appliqué flowers. Maybe it's because I've been in Tokyo, and these looks can be seen walking to the nearest train station that I think they are so suitable for a new generation, one that doesn't depend on their parents to pick out their clothes, one that can stand alone, and be identifiable, and treated as a unique soul. And, here, why shouldn't it be this?




Marc Jacobs, shaved and without glasses, American Designer Extraordinaire.
photos from style.com

thumbs down

I watched "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer." I had heard a bunch of hype about the book from my friends, and was planning on borrowing it from them at some point, maybe I still will. Anyhow, I saw the movie first. The title really gives it all away, except for the huge orgy towards the end, whoops! did I just...what? no? nevermind.

I came across this video interview with Bryan Bradley, the designer for Tuleh. I wonder: 1) why they chose him, 2) why he can't answer a question, or show any effort in creating an image for himself worth watching...or defending himself, expressing an ideal that be basis his designs on, his inspiration, not a fucking Chanel knock-off, or ugly prints! shit. Pardon me, it was just a little sad to watch...having no... for lack of a better work, spark. Well, he mentions doing a line for Lord and Taylor, and he's asked if he thinks that's selling out. I think it kinda is, but if fashion is anything, it's selling out. Especially now, Proenza Schouler at Target, Vera Wang at Kohl's (I think H&M's collaborations are an exception). You make money and get famous, but what about that creative sensibility you aren't permitted to explore or share when you're tied down to some contract. You're sacrificing what you believe to be beautiful for products that will be manufactured in quantities larger than the number of times you've cut your nails, and brushed you're teeth, and the kick of it is that most of it is going to be overstock, and crammed in some storage center, locked in some warehouse for the rest of eternity! Well, there's something gorgeous about that too, I suppose.

Got one more link here. It'll be your guide to new music, movies and books based on the ones you've already fell in love with.
Oh, I understand the concept, but, I doubt its effectiveness.
:(

New York Fashion Week!
:)

A few things

Kelly and Kyle, arrived in Tokyo, and went home safely. We hung out with their friend Genki, and my friend Shuru, and we did some serious drinking accompanied by some serious karaoke. They stayed with me when they got back from Kyoto, and shopped till the last minute.

I got this Bernhard Willhelm top with them at the Parco, in Shibuya, mine is white with red pin stripe. Kelly got a mini-tote. The bag is really cool. It has a smiley face quilted on one side, and a pirate themed smiley face quilted on the other, and the straps are leather with gold chain. I really liked it too.


The day they left, I went to Singapore with my good friend Marilia. We stayed in a dorm at a nice hostel, Inn Crowd, in the Little India area of Singapore. Make your own breakfast was included, bread, eggs, coffee and tea. Before I left Tokyo, I was getting all these bug bites, and it was getting really red and itchy. When I was trying on a bra at a store (I ended up buying the bra) I saw how it had spread all over, and I was worried that it could be some weird disease or some kind of allergic reaction to something. I showed Marilia, expressed my discomfort, and we went to the hospital.

No trouble at all. Raffles SurgiCentre. I showed my passport, they gave me a number, we waited, I go into a room where the doctor (a woman) who was very nice, and spoke English, prescribed me a medicine and cream, and reassured me it was not an infectious disease or an insane reaction to...something. We waited some more, paid for the medicine, which worked wonderfully, and left.

Singapore's a lovely city, very modern. The Gateway, designed by I.M. Pei, stood out in the skyline (from the window at the hospital). There are hawker stalls, where you can get cheap, good food and fresh juices, and sit in the open air and eat (surprisingly, there were very few bugs flying around). There are 24 hour markets, Hindu temples next to Buddhist temples, and where we stayed was right next to a beautiful mosque, where we had to take our shoes off, and wear a robe to cover our shoulders and legs to go in.


From Singapore, we took a bus to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. First, a pit stop in Johor Bahru, where we changed money and bus. The bus station in Kuala Lumpur was at an intersection where maybe 7 streets met. At first glance hard to navigate, but our hostel, Backpackers Travellers Inn, or Lodge (both exist, and on the same street), was not far. No breakfast there, but there was a women's only dorm. We met the most Japanese travelers there, incidentally, in the room we were staying in. We met a Japanese girl who had been traveling for 3 years, a girl who was on her way to Egypt, and a girl who had been living in that room for the past 3 months and who's studying English there. Two nights (Singapore was also two nights). We went to the Petronas Towers, where tickets are free, but you can only go a little less than halfway up. The towers are beautiful. The foundation is based on the shape of an eight pointed star, and has a strong Islamic influence.

Also in Kuala Lumpur:
Masjid Negara (National Mosque) - one of Southeast Asia's largest mosques
Menara Kuala Lumpur - fourth-highest telecommunications tower in the world

Phuket, Thailand, by plane. Three nights, the first two days, it was rainy, but it cleared up on the third and we went on a boat cruise to the Phi Phi island off the coast. This is where we got sunburned, swam in blue blue water, went snorkeling, beautiful landscape... Oh it was amazing. During the rain, we went on an elephant trek!



Bangkok, by plane. Stayed in a really nice hostel, Shambara Boutique Hostel and Restaurant. We had our own room with air conditioner, shared bathroom and shower, on Khao San Road. We only had a day and a half in Bangkok, so we did the tourist route to Wat Phra Kaew, the Grand Palace and Wat Pho. Went on two boat rides, one on the river and a smaller one on the canal. The canal boat ride was insanely cheap. It stops for barely a minute, you step onto a small boat that has only benches going across, and it takes you down this dark grey colored water that splashes everywhere so theres a tarp you pull up to keep you from getting wet, and also from seeing the laundry hanging in people's backyards and such. It was around this time I got a little worried about the money situation (which was silly of me). There was still more than half a trip left, and I had spent a little more than half the money I brought. But I still bought those silver earrings and that batik fabric...

Phnom Penh, by plane. Same day, Siem Reap, by bus. It was a six hour bus ride through the countryside. Yes, there were goats, rice fields, houses on stilts. It was quite beautiful, quite.
When we got to Siem Reap, we saw the sunset at Ankor Wat, and the next morning we went to see the sunrise at Ankor Wat. Trying to economize, we opted for the small tour with a tuk tuk driver around the temples. Look at the flickr pictures. It was amazing. There were a lot of tourists, but surprisingly few from America. We got some fresh coconuts from a girl who gave me a bracelet for good luck. We got to talk to the kids, who spoke English very well, and knew phrases in several other languages.

Ho Chi Minh City, by bus. Bumpy ride, also floated down the Mekong a bit. We only had a day here. We were kinda tired. Skipped the temples, but we went to the War Remnants museum where they mostly showed pictures with captions underneath. It made me think how much people suck, I was close to crying throughout the entire museum.

fin

By the end of the trip I finished Maugham's 'Of Human Bondage.' Really enjoyed that as well. There was a Seven Eleven in every country. There were street markets and food stalls everywhere, selling fruit, fish, meat, noodles, bread, souvenirs, clothes, handbags, jewelry, crap. We were tourist to the max. Everywhere we went had someone who could speak English or who could at least communicate the basics. Spiciest thing I had was the pho in Vietnam, but I put the peppers in the soup. Most delicious was the chicken with cashew nuts at the airport in Phuket, and the fruit juices, coconut, sugar cane, mango, papaya, pineapple. Most frustrating was negotiating with the tuk tuk drivers. Most beautiful were the islands off of Phuket province in Thailand, and Cambodia. I wish we could have spent more time in Phenom Penh, and in Vietnam and Bangkok.

Alas, I'm back in Tokyo where it's hot, and where Tokyo Fashion Week just started!
My school gave us tickets before summer break to one of the shows, doho.

A korean designer. Really pretty stuff. Lost of shiny colorful layered satin, sparkles, full tulle gathered skirts, the models looked a bit on the short side, and I realized they were all wearing flats.
It was at Roppongi's Tokyo Midtown. The venue was big, and full. Very dark, with two chandeliers hanging along the runway. The music was operatic, but only in that dramatic sense, with an electronic beat. All very appropriate.
I saw a bunch of my classmates there, as expected, they also got tickets. I dunno, I guess I expected more glamor. The Joanna Mastroianni show I went to in Bryant Park was crowded, and there was a lot of flash from cameras, and people mingling before and after the show. Maybe the outdoor vibe makes the Bryant Park scene seem more exciting. From the Tokyo Midown Hall A, where the show was, to the subway is 7 minute walk, it's all connected underground with restaurants and cafes in between.

One last thing. I saw Kap Bambino live at Warehouse, hosted by the fashion ramone, and they were AMAZING. Really good music to dance to. It's a girl and a guy. The girl sings and goes crazy, the guys plays the sound.

Window Shopping

Kyle and Kelly are coming TOMORROW! I'm so happy they're going to come, it's going to be a BLAST!

This summer I'm going on a two week trip to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam with Marilia. Hope to get some nice fabric, and little boxes, and jewelry. I can't wait for the beaches in Thailand, Ankor Wat, the food in Vietnam, everything!

It's summer break and bery bery hot. I've be able to get some stuff done. Waking up early and getting full days. Doing the things I couldn't find the time to do when school was in session. I painted my room (white and yellow), and made some curtains. Cleaned, organized, etc.

It's over already, but from the end of June and through July, pretty much all the stores in Japan are on sale. 'Final Clearance' 'Last Off' '70-30% off' The department stores are as crowded as the train stations during rush hour. I went around to the thrift stores that are also on sale. Got some red summer sandals.

I walked by the window display at the department store Isetan, in Shinjuku, and it was such a disappointment. I'm spoiled (in more ways than one, I know) by the windows at Barney's, or Bergdorf's and Sax. The mannequins were all dressed in black, for fall, and I guess the theme was 'white backdrop portraiture-blegh.' These big windows were practically empty, with only the shadow of the mannequins in the backdrop. One of the biggest department stores in Japan... and at one of their main stores... I just hope they change it soon.





Currently trying to make an over-sized striped shirt I bought for 550yen into a vest. I really want a vest.

Select Shop

The select shops in Tokyo (some the size of a closet) sell anything: clothing (both new and used), accessories, furniture, light fixtures, electronics, stationary, food, anything. Unique and one of a kind items that the store buyer falls in love with and tries to sell.

Well, I walked into a select shop near my house today that was selling a Charlotte Russe shirt, and an H&M shirt for more than a James Perse, or a C&C California shirt! First of all, I was surprised at seeing Charlotte Russe in Japan, but besides that, the difference between the quality of these trendy American (or Swedish) fashion items is not huge, and yet when I saw the prices I thought, "only in Japan," or more specifically, "only in Tokyo."
A Charlotte Russe top and an H&M top both priced at roughly $100.
Very simple tops made out of very simple fabrics. The store definitely didn't have stock of these shirts, it was only one size, one color, one item.
I was shocked.
I think I made a noise, like a "I don't believe this," kinda "pshaw" noise, and the shop owner gave me a look, like "what's the big deal, guy's gotta make a living"/"your being rude" look.
So, I left.

What I like about these select shops though, is that they sell $600 Chloe sandals and $8 plastic bangles in the same store, or they'll hang a black Alexandre Herchcovitch dress next to some frilly over sized shirt made by one of the thousands of obscure Japanese labels. You'll find what you're looking for, especially if you don't know what that is.

Japan Today

My friend sent me this article.

A boy who cut his mom's head off and turns himself into the police with the head.

oh my


Japan Today Article

A Visitor!

Alyssa came to Tokyo!
She flew in from Kobe, tagged along with her friend until Akasaka-Mitsuke, then e-mailed my cell phone from some internet cafe, and then we met in Shibuya!
We went to my grandparent's house, and my grandfather said if you really want to see Japan, you should go to Kyoto. Being 93 years old, you get the feeling he does not waste his words. We got a used travel guide, some train tickets and luckily we found a room available for the next day. This was during the beginning of Golden Week, a national holiday, so I was worried we wouldn't be able to find a room.

I had been to Kyoto, maybe 10 or more years ago, and I had seen a lot of the temples and gardens. Alyssa wasn't really sure what was what, and since the guide was in Japanese, and I could barely understand it, we basically looked at the pictures, and went to the places that looked interesting.
The photo above was taken at Arashiyama, in northern Kyoto. Temples, a river, and this bamboo forest.
We saw a geisha and maiko in Kyoto. Alyssa wanted to ask them for a picture, but they looked busy.
Alyssa came by boat, Semester at Sea. It was docked in Kobe, so we went there by train, and then said adieu.

I moved into a new place, and just got my internet set up. I am incredibly lucky to be living here. It's an open room my aunt has below her house in Nakameguro.

Let me list all the amenities that came with my room, only proving a portion of my good fortune.

-kitchen with two electric stoves, a small refrigerator, a pot, a pan, plates and silverware (although they aren't in the best condition, I can be impartial to it)
-bathroom (what they call a 'unit bath' with toilet, sink and tub)
-table and three chairs
-foldable bed with sheets and pillows
-air conditioner/heater
-a washer
-an iron
-cleaning supplies
-shelves
-TV (with cable)
-curtains
-internet

They also have a dog in the garage, and a cat upstairs.
It's a five minute walk to the train station, and a fifteen minute bike ride to my school (I'm also borrowing their bike).

I cleaned everything from inside out, but there's still dust everywhere, and it settles quickly under my bed, and on top of the TV. The walls are also pretty dirty, so I was thinking of painting them, white and orange.

Now, a list of how I can repay them:
-keep my room clean, so they can come in whenever they want
-take care of their pets when they're away
-let them use my Vonage phone to call their son in California
-try to sell their toys on ebay
-?