NTY article on "preppiness" and Japanese images of it

[drainer at mpinet.net]

I think the article introduces the subject as if it were an entirely new 
discovery, when it's something that's been around since the 1960s, just not 
commodified for mass culture (well, the big brands always were).

The roots of the Ivy League look in Japan go well beyond the American 
influence as the writer likes to claim. Mod culture hit Japan early on; the 
look started in America, of course, then caught on in England, though not 
exactly by the same demographic. In any case, what was known as "preppy" in 
the United States was known as "Ivy League" in England, as well as Japan. 
Remember--during this time, elements of American fashion were extremely 
popular in England as in Japan, Levis 501s, staprest trousers, et al.

A lot of the styling, fit, and appeal of the early Japanese brands were 
influenced by the English take (the clothes being generally narrower and 
all) on American style. These were marketed to youth--not necessarily upper 
class youth--and remained true to the conservative style which was 
essentially a continuation of the mod aesthetic. The Ivy League look became 
a mod staple; cable knits, jumpers, light knitwear, colored socks, 
moccasins, sports coat mix n' match, et al were common elements. What 
happened in Japan, however, is that some manufacturers never went beyond the 
early-mid 60s designs, which I take is what the article refers to. I'm 
making the extraordinary assumption that the author's talking about the 
"stylish" stuff, not the lobster print shorts you'd see your father wearing 
(that was a jab at Ralph Lauren, yes). There is also, of course, a large 
"vintage culture" present in Japan...it's relatively easy to find shops 
selling unmolested 40 year old clothing around Tokyo...

So you are right, the roots had been laid out in Japan early on...



-daniel
 (poor writing attributed to e-mail!)



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Anne McKnight" <annekmcknight at gmail.com>
To: <KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu>
Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 1:41 PM
Subject: NTY article on "preppiness" and Japanese images of it


An interesting article from today's New York Times fashion section, on
Japanese riffs of preppy style.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/fashion/18codes.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hpw

Interesting take, before a swerve into various samples of the preppy
in the hip hop world (eg Andre 3000 and his label):

What makes today?s prepidemic so fascinating is how it is,
surprisingly enough, so Japanese. The look has its roots in the United
States, to be sure. But the spirit, rigor and execution of today?s
prep moment is as Japanese as Sony. One need only flip through the
intriguing Japanese book ?Take Ivy,? a collection of photographs taken
in 1965 by Teruyoshi Hayashida on Eastern college campuses, to get the
drift.

It did make me wonder, tho, about the Ishihara and taiy?-zoku roots of
all of this, the micro-climates of preppiness in Japan already on the
ground in slightly earlier times--like the 50s and  early 60s...

Any thoughts? (Given recent events, the association of Japan with the
epidemiology of fashion--"prepidemic"-- is also an interesting twist...)

Anne