Shibuya 109-2 mens :: Japan-Fashion.com

Shibuya 109 Becomes Bisexual

Yes, it's hard. Painful for some. For when we hear of Shibuya 109, most of us Tokyoites think of a particular vibe. The throbbing bass of hundreds of stereos playing full blast, the sound running into each other. Oneegyaru shuffling around on heels too high for a mortal being, their extensions sizzling under fluorescent lighting. And on the weekends thousands of high school girls flock around this shrine looming over Hachiko Square. Most of my male friends (and female friends, for that matter) have told me in as many words about their distaste for Shibuya 109. And the moment I attempt to ask one to accompany me, I am told a flat-out 'no'. Even bribing them with a drinking binge after shopping doesn't work. Too loud. Too crowded. Too much commercialism. It's an unpleasant outing for the boys especially, for usually when I am in Shibuya 109-alone--I see them straggling behind their spouses/girlfriends/daughters. Men, grown men, holding bags and checking their keitai's inbox and sleeping and trying (to their best of their ability I am sure) not too look like either bodyguards or perverts. But that's hard, you know-especially with stores like Peach John and Baby Shoop literally shoving bustiers and fishnets in your face. But I'm here to tell you some news that for some will be a spiky pill to swallow. It isn't just girls getting in on the fun. That's right-Ichi-maru-kyuu is 'turning bi'. That is, opening a men's shopping area.

Those of you that have seen the area around Shibuya Station knew of that mostly steel-girded, heavily tarped area on the other side of the entrance to Dogenzaka Dori, long hidden from prying eyes. Well, that is the fate that has befallen that building (which, I believe, used to be 109-2. Or a bakery. Or something.) and in the summer of this year, Shibuya 109-mens opened to the world for the first time. I was anxious to see its insides-after being tortured by weeks and weeks of gigantic glamour billboards in an ad campaign skewed to a much more sophisticated audience. Compare it side-by-side with regular ads from 109. Most of the product is marketed by glowing, leggy girls with lots of eye makeup in very dynamic and engaging poses. The package is sporty, glitzy, fun. 109-mens features a different feel. Most of the images are leather fit around bronzed, tattooed arms, men and women together in dark beiges and blues. More black and flannel than you can shake a stick at.

I entered the well-lit entrance on a weekday, to avoid the rush. I realized then that it was how I was conditioned by the crowds of 109. A men's department store, I have been told by my male friends, would never be crowded (Men are not that patient when shopping.). But I still felt that it was a good thing I went in on "down time". Most of the walls were white, and the music was audible but understated. And much to my surprise, so were the clothes. No outrageous mannequins or displays. I spotted one of my favorite men's lines, Mayhem, and their mild combinations of button-ups and dark denims left a good impression on me. Even the minimal accessories section carried hats and belts that were up-to-date without being over everyone's head. And recently the department store has added Casva to its lineup. Casva's sleek look is punctuated by bleach-treated jeans and ivory shirts, with croc shoes layered with buckles. There is a webshop, but unfortunately it doesn't ship internationally. The overseas street fashion follower's best bet is to check out the websites of the individual clothing lines. A list of the brands is located on the 109-men's website.

Shibuya 109

And so, the yankis, the goths, and all the rest of the men finally have somewhere to go. The male answer to the iconic Shibuya shopping monolith opts for the practical over the ostentatiousness of Big Sis. And the bug has spread to the other 109 locations, in Machida (west Tokyo) and also in Shizuoka and Tenjin Core. I wonder when foreign department stores (the Harrods, the Macys) will catch on. With the advent of the 'metrosexual', Japan proves once again it is one step ahead of everyone else.

SHIBUYA 109-2 mens

Shibuya 109 Becomes Bisexual