Fancy Fashion: Vintage Mens' Fashion Exhibition and Pop-up in Kyoto

Gucci in Japan

I'm usually not into Gucci but I couldn't help but notice the advertisement above appearing in black and white in the August 18, 2016 edition (p. 10) of the International New York Times entitled (in hard to read yellow font) [street sounds]. The above image comes from bagaholicboy.com and their article about the Fall-Winter 2016 Gucci Ad Campaign. From the article:

For the Fall-Winter 2016 ad campaign which just hit the interwebs today, we have Glen Luchford lensing his 4th consecutive campaign (or is it the 5th one?) for Gucci, shot on various locations in Tokyo from a pachinko parlour to a park and even the interior of a traditional Japanese house, complete with tatami mats. There are crowded streets, there are soap bubbles, there’s even a bowl of goldfish, with each campaign image subtitled with words like ‘street sounds’, ‘pop’ and ‘relentless buzzing sound’.

You don’t have to try to break it down and try to psychoanalyse it intently for its alternative meaning; you just have to sit back and enjoy [Gucci’s Creative Director Alessandro] Michele’s world. And figure out what you’ll be buying from the collection too, of course.

You can see more of the campaign's photos at the above quoted post or at Fashionista.com.

What struck me is that the photos look like they are taken in Japan but in a very hip way without the usual stereotypes. The focus on sounds with the titles almost looking like closed captions for the Deaf is interesting as well. I knew that Gucci did big business in Japan (45% of the brands $4.3 billion sales last year) but not about the over 50 years that the company has in Japan.

More on that history here: http://www.gucci.com/cn-en/worldofgucci/articles%2Fjapan-50-anniversary#1

This post is not in any way intended to be a product endorsement (I'm an anthropologist after all and can't afford Gucci...) but rather a good example of artistic photographs with interesting concepts being used for business and profit. All artists need their patrons...

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Actually I was working on this post a few weeks ago and kinda forgot about it. I was reminded of it today by seeing another Gucci ad in today's International New York Times (September 10, 2016, p. 14) that contained the photo below.

The model is sitting in the tokonoma, an alcove in a traditional Japanese house that usually displays a scroll, flower arrangements or other art. It is extremely bad manners to sit or stand in the tokonoma. And he's wearing shoes on the tatami! Doing further research I found the image online at Fashionista.com along with a video ad with more questionable behavior by foreign models in Japan.



So while the ad campaign might not rely too much on tired stereotypes of Japan, the behavior of the fun-loving, poor mannered foreigners should not be emulated. Don't blow bubbles in a pachinko parlor...

Related fashion post about Guess ads in Japan: http://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.jp/2014/11/new-guess-fashion-campaign-features.html

Cool Japan Fashion?

Images borrowed from s0ciety6.

VAOJ Disclaimer: This is not a product endorsement or fashion advice of any kind - only a sampling of what is out there...

More info: http://society6.com/product/the-great-wave-of-pug_leggings?utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=1119&utm_content=42268#56=415

And of course you need the shoes to match...

Image borrowed from Japan Today, 5/13/15.

More info: https://www.japantoday.com/smartphone/view/new-products/combine-your-love-of-godzilla-ukiyo-e-and-fashion-with-shoes

New Guess Fashion Campaign Features Japan...

Text from FashionCopious.com:

This holiday season, GUESS introduces its new advertising campaign shot in Japan by acclaimed photographer, Chen Man. Set against the breathtaking backdrops of Mount Fuji and the fields of Tokyo, the campaign is a unique pairing of Eastern and Western cultures that juxtaposes traditional Japanese surroundings against GUESS’ contemporary apparel and accessories. Bridging fine art and fashion photography­—a signature of Chen Man—the hyper-saturated color palette and mixing of cultural influences give the images a wondrous, dreamlike and fantastical brilliance.

Directed by Paul Marciano, CEO and Chief Creative Officer for GUESS?, Inc., and shot by two-time collaborator Chen Man, the Holiday 2014 campaign features GUESS Girls Megan Williams and Karmay Ngaia, both young and full of energy yet from vastly different worlds. The campaign depicts a journey of their global friendship, taking the viewer on a voyage across Japan’s most picturesque locations.

The journey begins with the GUESS Girls practicing Japan’s most traditional of martial arts, Kendo. Their powerful poses bring their strength and beauty to the forefront of each image. As the journey unfolds, we follow the GUESS Girls as they enjoy a traditional Japanese tea ceremony set against a dazzling backdrop of rich foliage in vivid red, magenta and pink hues. The models are also seen traveling by rickshaw and posing alongside Japan’s emblematic fish flag. The story concludes in a bed full of cherry blossoms where the GUESS Girls accessorize eye-catching red mini-dresses with traditional paper parasols for an afternoon picnic.

Styled by the renowned fashion editor and stylist Satoshi Hirota, the images showcase stand-out apparel from the GUESS holiday collection. Bold red and black color combinations and head-to-toe sleek leather silhouettes offset the shadowy outdoor scenes. As the scenery softens, so too does the clothing. Pastel-colored garments, classic denim jackets, and chambray button downs complement the vibrant colors of the landscape.

Source: http://fashioncopious.typepad.com/fashioncopious/2014/10/guess-holiday-2014-campaign-by-chen-man.html

See the campaign (and photos) at the Guess webpage: http://www.guess.co.jp/

More selected commentary from Japan Today, 11/21/14:

From Tokyo to Mount Fuji, the series features Japan’s wild and peaceful landscapes, while paying homage to the country’s traditional roots and modern lifestyle at the same time. The result is two models who come off looking both elegant and bad-ass.

One thought-provoking image stands out for its allusion to gender stereotypes and femininity. When a girl puts down a pole flying pink koinobori carp, traditionally used as a symbol of strength for the Boys’ Day national holiday (now known as Childrens’ Day), you know she’s heralding a new dawn for gender stereotypes.

Another photo featuring dramatic red and black looks, styled by Satoshi Hirata, pays homage to Japan’s long rickshaw tradition, which is still going strong today. The black, shiny rickshaws can be seen at tourist spots with passengers draped in bright red blankets to shield themselves from the cold.

Then there is a hanami picnic under the cherry blossoms. The model’s adoring gaze up into the cherry blossom tree makes the viewer feel like a pretty little bird.

Source: http://www.japantoday.com/category/arts-culture/view/new-ad-campaign-features-japan-in-all-its-stunning-glory

Japan has never looked cooler. File this one under advertisements that illustrate/represent cultural fads (and fantasies) on a global level...