This article about trendy Japan fashion was contributed by my friend John from the UK.

The first time I stumbled across the unusual fashion of Japan I was young, impressionable and in a local Waterstones. From what I can remember I was looking around, for a fantasy novel no doubt, when all of a sudden my attention was grabbed by a multi-coloured book entitled FRUiTs.

Peeking inside I was surprised to find a collection of photographs, seemingly taken on the street, of people dressed in clothes bright enough to make a circus clown seem drab. 10 years later I found this book was a collection of the best photos taken from Japan’s premier fanzine “FRUiTs.”

The idea behind the magazine was to document the growing explosion in street fashion within the Tokyo suburbs and because of my recurring recollections of the event I decided to track down a copy and I ordered it for myself. In doing so I hoped that I might rekindle some of those long lost feelings that kept hampering me and maybe explain part of the reason why I have such a fascination with everything oriental.

Once it arrived the thing that struck me most about the book was just how much of the fashion was inspired by the UK.

You see, many of the clothes were actually created by eccentric British designer Vivienne Westwood –the 70 year old woman with the bright red hair – and she was featured on almost every page.

Then it hit me. That was the reason why I was so entranced by the book. You see the images were both so foreign and familiar to me at the same time. Vivienne Westwood was deeply inspired by the Punk movement of the 60s it seems and you can see it in the edgy nature of her clothes. The FRUiTs on the other hand are also edgy but have swapped the political machinations of the punk movement for bright colours and a cool look. That I realised, was why I found it so unusual.

Vivienne has her own theory on why the Japanese are so fond of her clothes though, she said: “The young Japanese love to wear the latest thing and when they come to London they head for my shops as part of what they want to find in Britain.”

Two models wearing Westwood’s GOLD collection made exclusively for the Japanese market.

It seems funny, then, that Japanese fashion is inspired by a stereotypical or idealised view of the West – if Vivienne’s statement is anything to go by – but the more and more I look at Japanese fashion the more I see the western influence. Perhaps it has something to do with the American occupation following WWII.

One thing I know for sure though is that my knowledge of Japanese fashion is extremely limited and I want to know more. I want to know if any of you have had experiences with FRUiTs or if you know a modern Japanese brand that isn’t inspired by the west. If so then we’d love to see them below. Sayonara!

Vivienne Westwood Sites:
http://www.vanmildert.com/vivienne-westwood-222.phtml (UK)
http://www.viviennewestwood.co.uk/w/store-directory/japan