SILENT CHANGES

The first thing you should know about Cat Street in Harajuku, Tokyo, is that it has nothing to do with "cat walk". Though dedicated to the Japanese fashion in its glory. You think "individual", you think "unique", you think "treasures of oriental vogue", something that can not be found elsewhere and thus will dramatically define your stylec you think Cat Street.

So, some history now: where do all the roots... and tails go.

First there was a river. It was underdrained, became walking street and finally in 90th of last century turned into street fashion Mecca. They say homeless cats used to live around the area, giving it a nickname.
Officially its Kyu Shibuya-gawa Promenade, but we know this place as a Cat Street, full with stores with very specific looks. After all, it inherited not only the name, but also free spirit and unique identity of those wild ancestors.

Some years ago Cat Street used to flourish, attracting young Japanese from all over the country in need of design cream of the crop. Vibrant and artistic, those small shops could afford to specialize in just one brand.

Well, at least until now.

Wobbled economy took its toll.
Gone the bohemian feel - gone with most of the shoppers. Closed doors, abandoned places and "under reconstruction" signs are blotching previously lush rows of designer-specific shops. Hard-to-find labels became so hard to find that we simply can call it an extinction.
Since huge fashion companies brought their gigantic shops to Harajuku area, its back side, Ura Harajuku with its most famous and fashionable Cat Street started to fall into oblivion. Which is really terrible thing to happen as one can say Cat Street became legend of recent Tokyo street fashion scene.
New movement seems to spring at the nearby Meiji street, filled with mass-fashion products.

D.L.
2009/11/10