[From April Issue 2010]
In the last few years, a clothing style known as “fast fashion” has become popular in Japan. The trend is to incorporate affordable pricing and manufacture bulk quantities to sell in short-term cycles. UNIQLO, with over 790 stores across Japan, is one of the largest brands offering this style.
In 1998, UNIQLO offered fleece sweatshirts for 1,900 yen, and sold 8.5 million pieces. From then on yearly improvements were made, and cheap, durable fleece garments soon became regular winter wear for everyone.
Conversely, a new trend called “Remake Fashion” is also attracting attention. “Remake Fashion” is ready-made clothing altered to one’s own taste. Located just a few minutes walk from JR Omiya Station (Saitama Prefecture), Ichinomiya Dori is known as a second-hand fashion street with about 20 used clothing retail shops open for business.
“OMIYA momo-kuri” is just one such popular store with Tokyo branches in both Kichijoji and Shimokitazawa. Not only do they sell second-hand clothes, they also trade in retro clothing acquired from overseas. But before selling any item, they alter the pieces to fit with Japanese sensibilities, adding designs to lapels, and changing the buttons to a more appealing set. Their unique designs and colorations are popular with the local students and other fashion-conscious young people. Even some performers shop there for their stage wardrobe.
Many customers visit often because they want to “wear something different from everyone else.” SAKAI Hidetaka, a 2nd year university student who’s been stopping by the shop since high school, says friends often ask him, “Where did you buy your outfit?” “Second hand clothes are cheaper than new clothes. Moreover, the unique designs are popular with the younger generation,” says store manager NOZAWA Ayumi.
Located in the Lumine Omiya Building, “Reform and Recycle JUST” alters customers’ clothes to fit their exact size. Customers stop by not just to lift hemlines of their pants and skirts, but to also adjust favorite items that no longer fit. The shop even gets customers who bring in new, recently purchased business suits.
“Sometimes the alterations cost more than the actual business suit,” says shop owner, OGAWA Miyoko. She says that pulling out all the threads and retaking measurements is painstaking and time-consuming, even for experienced staff, and that altering a two-piece suit to properly fit the body can cost upwards of 30,000 ~ 40,000 yen.
It seems that the inclination is to alter second-hand clothes for “a cheaper and unique look,” and new clothes for “a better fit despite the fee.” Tailored clothes are very expensive, with remakes and alterations much more convenient, and, the extra care makes people enjoy them more.
OMIYA momo-kuri
Reform and Recycle JUST
Text: MUKAI Natsuko
[2010年4月号掲載記事]
「ファストファッション」と呼ばれる衣料品がここ数年、日本で人気を集めている。短いサイクルで大量に生産・販売されるのが特徴で、最新の流行を採り入れながら低価格におさえてある。なかでも代表的なユニクロは日本国内だけで790以上もの店舗をもつ日本最大手ブランドである。
1998年、ユニクロから一着1,900円で発売されたフリースは翌年850万枚を売り上げた。それ以降も毎年改良が重ねられ、安くて丈夫なフリースは人気の防寒着として幅広い年齢層に親しまれている。
一方で「リメイクファッション」と呼ばれる新しいファッションデザインのジャンルが人気を呼んでいる。リメイクファッションとは、すでに販売されている服に手を加えて自分流に作り直すことだ。JR大宮駅(埼玉県)から歩いて数分のところにある一ノ宮通りには、大小20軒ほどの古着専門店が立ち並び、古着ファッションストリートとして知られている。
「大宮momo-kuri」は東京の吉祥寺と下北沢にも分店を持つ人気店。ただ古着を扱っているだけでなく、海外で買いつけた古着を販売している。日本人用の体形にリメイクし、さらにえり元にワンポイントを加えたりかわいいボタンに換えたりする。独創的なデザインと色使いが地元の学生や若い人にうけている。ステージ衣装として買っていくお客もいるという。
「人と違うものを身につけたい」という思いからこの店へしばしば通うお客も多い。高校生のときから通っているという大学2年生の酒井英敬さんは友人に「どこで買ったの?」とよくたずねられるという。「古着は新品より価格が安いです。しかも他にはないデザインが、若い方に喜んでもらえます」とチーフの野沢亜由美さんは話す。
ルミネ大宮店内の「洋服のお直し専門店JUST」では、持ち込んだ洋服を自分の体形に合わせてリフォーム(修繕)してくれる。ズボンやスカートのすそ上げだけでなく、サイズが合わなくなった大事な洋服をもう一度着られるように直したいというお客や、最近では買ったばかりのスーツの上下を持ち込む人も増えているという。
「元々のスーツの値段よりもリフォーム代のほうが高くつくこともあります」と話すのは店長の小河美代子さん。糸を全部抜き取って寸法をはかり直す作業はとても細かく、ベテランのスタッフでも手間と時間がかかる。スーツの上下を体形に合わせて全体的にリフォームする場合、3万から4万円の費用がかかる。
古着のリメイクは「価格が安くて人と違うもの」、新品のリフォームは「費用が高くても自分の体に合ったもの」を求める傾向にあるようだ。一から仕立てるオーダーメイドは高くても、リメイクやリフォームならば手頃で、手間をかけることでより愛着が増すという。
文:向井奈津子
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