Tokyo Secondhand Clothes Scene

Neon lights, robots, and bullet trains may come to mind when thinking about Tokyo, along with cyberpunks and tricked out cellphones. Step off the set of Lost in Translation, though, and you will find wonderful relics of times gone by. A centuries old shrine wedged in between two skyscrapers, a traditional festival outside a modern train station, or a group of beautiful young women chatting on cellphones while dressed in yukata. What makes Tokyo truly fascinating and beautiful is this intricate weaving together of the old and new, of domestic traditions and imported ones too (such as x-mas). This sort of hodgepodge makes up Tokyo's fashion landscape as well.

The art of incorporating secondhand pieces into one's wardrobe is really picking up steam; past Harajuku, beyond Shimokitazawa, just a little ways out on the Chuo line to Koenji.

Koenji is known, as any Google search will imform you, as the birthplace of Japanese punk, whose scene evolved in the 1970s. Koenji still has a thriving live house scene, as well as numerous second clothing shops. The number of shops grew in the 1990s, and there are now around 130 different shops to choose from, more than any other area in the city. The shops tend to deal in American goods, but each shop has its own unique vibe. There are shops specializing in vintage, those with vast collections of shoes, jeans dealers, and some shops that amazingly express the owner's visual concept, with noticeable colour and fabric schemes. With so many shops to choose from, those without a strong style, quality items, or interesting concept, simply cannot succeed. The operation of the shops and acquisition of items seems to vary as well, though there are some commonalities.

In contrast to the secondhand clothing markets in western countries, Japanese secondhand goods tend not to be of domestic origin, but are imported, mostly from America, and otherwise from Europe. Some shop owners acquire the clothes directly, while others make purchases of American goods from poorer countries such as Pakistan and Thailand. The thrill of a good cheap find cannot be accomplished in a thrift shop in Japan, as they are nil over here; unwanted items go out with the burnable trash or perhaps get sent off (at the donator's expense) to a charity that sends the goods to developing countries. Some donated items surely end up making a return journey.

The great distances that the garments have to travel, plus the cramped quarters of Tokyo retailers means that the clothes that do make it here, are of course a bit pricier than one would expect to pay for the same items in America, but they are also very finely selected. Buying in America for the Japanese market is a refined industry, with droves of Japanese buyers trolling flea markets on both the east and west coasts looking for items that suit the Japanese market.

But what exactly are Japanese shoppers looking for in used clothing? There are two main camps of thought; some people like to buy inexpensively and to recycle. Another group that has been forming more recently, are those who are really looking for something original and like the feeling of finding a treasure. The median age of such shoppers is rising, with one shop owner claiming to have customers in their 20s to those in their 70s, with older customers seeking high quality items. They just don't make 'em like they used to.

The upsurge in fashion treasure hunters coincides with the growth of creativity in everyday life. Never before have we had so many choices when shopping. This is aided, surely, by online shopping, but is also fueled by the sheer amount of stuff that we have that can be a fashion item. Decorated cellphones, accessorized iPods, and customized bicycles, are all signals of the growing surge in the desires to be unique and express oneself through fashion.

*There are dozens of secondhand clothing stores at Koenji, Tokyo.

EXTRA VISION

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Featuring secondhand American clothing ranging from denims to T shirts.

Jacob's Ladder

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A European secondhand clothing store with clientele comprising of 20 year olds to 70 years olds.

YURI

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Atmospheric shop with pop culture items, deals in men's & lady's items.

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A large secondhand store with a sister store on the same block.

S.O

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Newly opened last month. The sweatshirt in the photo is priced at $*000!!

AMBITIOUS

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An extensive line-up of 501s and new accessories.

If you are a member of the this second group, Koenji really is the place to come. It is not as famous a Harajuku as a fashion centre/tourist attraction, making it more than tolerable to stroll through on a fine weekend afternoon. Koenji is often compared to another well-known town, Shimokitazawa, which also has a rich live house history, and is located closer to the bustle of trendy Shibuya, but with shops such as Starbucks and Uniqlo making a prevalent appearance here, rising rents, and a changing clientele, some Shimokita shops have moved to Koenji. This is the town of the true vintage connoisseur.

Fashion trends roll in cycles, and street fashion often influences high fashion and vice versa. In current "fashion snap" magazines, we're seeing more and more items listed as furugi (secondhand clothes), and the used clothing trend has definitely worked its way into runway shows, but since this isn't about a must-have item, but rather about how you find and put things together, we're sure to see a lot more unique and creative looks on the runway and the streets.

written by: Jess Mantell