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OUR REFERENCES
JAPAN
In Japan, Tokyo is where most internationally known Japanese brands are.
The Japanese runway look is loose and unstructured, often with complicated cutting,
and colours tend to the sombre and subtle, with richly textured fabrics.
Off the runway, Tokyo has many fashion hubs with a dizzying range of styles.
Harajuku
Harajuku has become world famous as Japan's centre of street fashion.
This area is jam-packed with boutiques, fashion malls and chains.
Every single day of the year, tens of thousands of people tourists
and locals alike come here to shop, hang out, and see what the latest trends are.
Omotesando is sometimes referred to as "Tokyo's Champs-Elysees",
in a nod to its upscale international tenants such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior and Prada.
In recent years however, fast fashion houses have popped up in Omotesando,
with Forever 21 opening in 2009 and H&M in 2008 to long queues, and Gap moving up the street
to its current prime spot right outside the Harajuku train station.
One of Harajuku's main attractions, the Laforet fashion mall opened in 1978.
It houses almost everything under one roof - from local runway labels like Ne-Net and Theatre Products,
to the trendy massmarket brands, the niche Gothic Lolita base, as well as international fast fashion house Topshop.
Down Takeshita Doori, American street casual "Ame-kaji" and "Mori Girl" (Forest Girl) shops jostle for space
with the tourist-stopping Japanese-punk "Wamono", "Visual Kei" stores. And yet more Gothic Lolita, "Decora", hip-hop
and secondhand stores lurk in the many alleys in Takeshita Doori.
Across Omotesando street is Ura-hara, the back streets of Harajuku. It is a centre of Japanese fashion for younger people
with "Mori Girl" and Goth-Lolita, and also streetwear brands such as A Bathing Ape and Undercover.
"Mori Girl" is a new subculture that gained momentum recently as a trend. "Mori" means forest in Japanese,
and "Mori Girls" look like wanderers in a fairytale forest with their loose silhouettes, ruffles, lace and
drapes, vintage prints, and quaint accessories.
The "Kei" in "Visual Kei" is Japanese for "style" or "type", short for 'visual style music'.
The band music ranges from glam-rock, heavy metal to punk, with the band members wearing striking makeup, elaborate hairstyles
and flamboyant costumes.
"Decora" comes from the word "decoration" and is a fun colourful style, usually with heavily layered with bright clothing and
an emphasis on "kawaii" (cute) and coloured accessories such as hair clips with bows, toys/jewellery.
Gothic Lolita is yet another subculture in Harajuku. Gothic Lolita clothes have a wide range of styles - from an elegant style
which refers to the fashion of frilly, ruffled knee-length dresses and head-bands, a dark look, to a "kawaii" (cute) look with
pink dresses printed with cakes and overflowing with lace for example.
Shibuya
Shibuya is known as the place at the forefront of Japan's everchanging trends. Shibuya seems to be all about shopping with major department stores,
fashion boutiques down every little street and entire fashion malls filled with latest Tokyo trends.
Shibuya is famous for its scramble crossing. It is located in front of the Shibuya station Hachiko exit and stops vehicles in all direction
to allow pedestrians to inundate the entire intersection. Three large TV screens mounted on nearby buildings overlook the crossing.
Shibuya 109 is perhaps the most famous fashion shopping mall in Shibuya. It is the place of birth of the "kogal" subculture in the 90s.
The term's etymology is disputed: the most common theory is that it was derived from the Japanese word for high school "kou-kou",
although others claim that it comes from the word "ko", the Japanese word for 'girl' or 'child'. Kogals are known for wearing platform boots,
a miniskirt, copious amounts of makeup, hair colouring (usually blonde), artificial suntans, and designer accessories.
The 'descendents', the Shibuya 'gyaru', have retained the (heavily) made up and dressed up look, but have become more 'mainstream'
in their fashion and appearance, and are now trendsetters of the nation.
Ginza
Ginza is a major brand name fashion area with major department stores, restaurants and hotels. Ginza literally means "Silver mint",
which is very appropriate even today as Ginza is packed with brand name shops and upmarket department stores, and
counts Tokyo's oldest and most prestigious department stores such as Wako among its tenants. However it may be a sign of the changing times
spurred by the ailing economy perhaps, for fast fashion brands such as Uniqlo, H&M, Forever 21 and Gap have set up stores
in the posh shopping district.
KOREA
Korea has come a long way since the 1970s, when ruler-bearing policemen stopped women on the street to measure the length of their skirts.
Korean fashion is gaining popularity across Asia in recent years, a ripple effect from the popularity their TV series and movies boast.
Compared to Japan, the style is more wearable; casual (think baseball caps), bubbly and dainty girly, and with a larger colour palette
than its trendsetting but more radical neighbour.
Outside the Galleria, Cheongdam's main drag is lined in luxury as block after block exalts the flagship and standalone stores of the titans of fashion:
Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Hugo Boss, Dolce & Gabbana and Jil Sander. This is Seoul's Champs-Elysees, a concrete-and-glass table of contents for
the global fashion brands that also fill Seoul's department stores, such as Lotte, Hyundai and Shinsegae, Korea's oldest.
As on Rodeo Drive or Fifth Avenue, if a store hasn't arrived here, it hasn't arrived in the eyes of the brand-conscious Korean consumer.
As like the Japanese, Korean girls have a penchant for luxury brands. Even if they live in a box, they will scrimp to spend.
Looks and appearance play a huge role in Korean society. How you look is very important. Fashion in Korea involves wearing lots of layers and
having lots of accessories to go with your clothing. People like to wear clothes that have English text on it, but normally the text serves
as the "design" and the literal meaning has nothing to do with anything.
FRANCE
Since the seventeenth century, the headquarters for fashion houses have been traditionally situated in the quarter around the Rue du Faubourg
Saint-Honore. Since the 1980s, the Avenue Montaigne has, to some extent, overtaken the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore in high fashion
as well as accessories. Other areas, such as Le Marais, a traditional Jewish quarter, have also included the clothing industry.
Traditionally, French fashion is chic and stylish, defined by its sophistication, cut, and smart accessories. Some cultures esteem physical beauty
and elaborate makeup and hair, but with the French it is all about the clothes and carriage. In fact, they have a phrase that praises physically
unattractive women who dress impeccably and carry themselves with the air of sophistication: "jolie-laide". Translated directly, it means "pretty-ugly".
This focus on the qualities of the "jolie-laide" woman encapsulates the French way of thinking and their fascination with simplicity, quality and
sophistication in their clothing styles.
In a bow to the royal and noble classes of France's past, French clothing styles are typically elegant and tend toward the conservative.
Although they have evolved to become thoroughly modern, the tradition of being well-dressed and "dressed-up" is still honoured. Jeans are acceptable,
but the French pair their casual denim with classic heels, ballet flats or boots, not sneakers.
Another aspect of French clothing styles: quality. French clothing is known the world over for its high quality. The French designers may start
many trends on the catwalk, but on the sidewalk you are more likely to see cashmere sweaters, high-quality leather heels and shoes, fine wool trousers
and handbags of exceptional workmanship than you are to see the latest trend of the week. Anya Strzemien in the Huggington Post writes that
the French clothing style is about simplicity. the French style is "more natural, more nonchalantly gorgeous". Far from the logo'd,
"bling'd out" designs seen on many runways in their capital - if you see a woman covered in Christian Dior logos, a crazy mix of bold colours and
prints or outrageous sparkles and embellishment, chances are that she is not French - instead you will see pieces that are classic in colour, shape
and construction. The French style is elegant and simple, and stylish French women have a wardrobe full of high-quality staples.
For many French women, those basic wardrobe pieces all sport designer labels. Those Chanel boots on the elegant woman in the restaurant
across the way might just be a decade old, too, as a very large aspect of French style is to purchase timeless pieces that have the potential of
lasting a lifetime.
Chic and seasonless, neutrals are also a large part of the French style. Again, reflecting the practicality of French femmes, neutrals do not
go in-and-out of fashion as, for example, a neon pink or harvest gold might. Colours, as trends, are typically reserved for accessories -
a scarf, purse or even shoes.
Parisians, for the most part, wear well-fitting clothes that suit their frame. You'll barely see a mademoiselle who is stuffed into a size too
small jeans or drowned in a droopy camp shirt. The French understand the magic of a good tailor and proper fit.
ITALY
Most older Italian couturiers are in Rome. However, Milan and Florence are the Italian fashion capitals. Italian fashion features casual elegance
and luxurious fabrics. Milan's main upscale fashion district is the quadrilatero della moda (literally, "fashion quadrilateral"),
where the city's most prestigious shopping streets - Via Monte Napoleone, Via della Spiga, Via Sant'Andrea, Via Manzoni and Corso Venezia are.
In a country where police uniforms are designed by Armani, it isn't surprising that the women take dressing very seriously.
The objective of Italian dressing is not to blend in. Italian women take great pride in putting themselves together - "la bella figura".
Showing off your best features is the idea, so to blend in you must strive to stand out. It is not about clothes but rather attitude;
an attitude of custom-made, fluid, sophistication.
Italians love to show off, but mostly in an individualistic, understated way. Italian women suggest a subtler brand of sexiness by
keeping their bodies fit and wearing slim-cut clothing. For example, visible bra straps create a look that tries not to be one.
The idea is to let your bra strap show but not look like you're trying.
Elegance is in the Italian blood, and most Italians would unhesitatingly give up comfort in order to achieve it. Italy is a nation that
cherishes outward appearances. A svelte Italian woman striding down the cobbled streets in the latest ultra-high wedges without missing a step,
hair flying in the breeze, epitomises an attitude almost all Italians have: of dressing with care and confidence, but seeming artless.
Footwear is given much emphasis in this fashion nation. Spice comes from style not comfort. The hottest designs could conveniently incorporate
pointed toes and high heels in the same shoe for maximum discomfort.
LONDON
London has long been the capital of the UK fashion industry and has a wide range of foreign designs which have integrated with modern British styles.
Typical British design is smart but innovative. Yet recently it has become more and more unconventional, fusing traditional styles with
modern techniques. Among the most notable UK fashion houses/designers are Burberry, Paul Smith, Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney, and
the late Alexander McQueen.
London is a place of eccentricity and creativity and possibilities - it's more about expression than anywhere else in the world. Out on the streets,
the fabulous, the kitschy, the sophisticates and the slovenly mingle with equal propriety.
There is an eclectic mix of colors, from fluorescent coats to bright red hair, all individually trendy in their own unique way. Layering is essential,
not only for warmth, but for clashing colors and prints together and standing out of the crowd.
NEW YORK
New York is arguably the fashion capital of the United States, if not the world, generating over $14 billion in annual sales, and setting design
trends that are mirrored worldwide
American fashion design is dominated by a clean-cut, casual style, reflecting the athletic, health-conscious lifestyles of some American city-dwellers.
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