Now & Yen

Posted on | February 1, 2008 |

Japan’s ever- evolving sense of style and self is again on the move in 2008. Here are a few “hot happenings” fromthe worlds of fashion, pop culture, tech and lifestyle for Japanofiles and lovers of innovation alike.

1. Gothic Lolita: The Harajuku-spawned Gothic Lolita look has seeped into the U.S. underground fashion world via alternative fashion magazines and blogs, but Tokyo is still ground zero for those living the “goth-loli” lifestyle. Publishing company Tokyo Pop is releasing the first English language Gothic Lolita Bible in February ’08 featuring an extensive guide to Gothic and Lolita clothing, accessories and makeup, as well as interviews with top Lolita designers and trend leaders.

2. Uniqlo UT Stores: Uniqlo is well known for breaking down fashion barriers in Japan by providing quality, affordable basics, and introducing the concept of mixing their low-priced clothing and accessories with expensive high-end brands.  Uniqlo has created a line of specialized shops exclusively selling their T’s in an atmosphere falling somewhere between minimalist art gallery and futuristic convenience store. Their unique packaging and retail display concepts (including T-shirts sold in plastic tubes through vending machines) set the tone for what could be a whole new era in how clothing retailers offer products.

3. Microtechnology: The Japanese fascination with continually shrinking things is clearly not over. Meet the world’s first 11-inch organic electroluminescence TV set. Sony Corp’s XEL-1 went on sale in December, 2007. At its thinnest point, this model is just three millimeters thick!

A new umbrella invented by Japanese researchers and “brainstormed” at prestigious Keio University acts as a photo browser by displaying images from the Internet as the user plods through the rain. The mind reels at the media possibilities for street teams armed with only their umbrellas.

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