Why these two books are resonating with me right now

When I heard from Ms. Kobayashi Shibata about this theme, "Exploring the Fashion Experts Through Classic Books," I immediately wanted to talk about these two books. One is the 1976 edition of "The World's Finest Goods Encyclopedia" (Kodansha), and the other is "Cheap Chic," published in 1975.

The year 1976, when "The World's Finest Goods Encyclopedia" was published, is said to be the year that the period of rapid economic growth that began in 1952 ended, the year that Popeye magazine was launched, and BEAMS opened. I think this was the first year that Japanese people began to develop their own sense of fashion and walk their own path towards becoming the person they wanted to be.

This book was the first Japanese mook (magazine-style book) to explain the imported luxury goods industry of the time by breaking down brands, and it is a monumental work that solidified the Japanese people's brand worship that continued into the bubble economy. While we sighed at the impressions of celebrities and business leaders who had already acquired the featured items, the power to turn aspirations into something more real was probably about to explode in general society. This book was thrown into that wave as a go-getter's guide to high-priced shopping.

"Cheap Chic," by Kata Kobayashi, is a book published in 1975, after the end of the Vietnam War, written by two American female journalists. Its message is, "Our mission is to not be swayed by fashion manufacturers, but to carefully select and acquire only what we want," and this declaration is, "Let's not waste time and money on clothes, and let's find the equipment that makes us shine with our own eyes."

In other words, one is a brand-name book that symbolizes Japan's extravagant spending spree after the Korean War, while the other is a book published in the year the Vietnam War ended, reflecting a time when Japan won the war but wasted resources, leaving its youth jaded. Although they were published almost simultaneously, one book is essentially "behind the curve," saying "it's okay to indulge in luxury now" and the other is "the answer that comes from indulging in luxury." That's what's so interesting!


I was 10 years old when "The World's Finest Goods Encyclopedia" came out, and my older sister and I loved counting the units of measurement for the prices of the items listed. We'd say, "Wow, those are some insane numbers!" (laughs).
I first learned about "Cheap Chic" when I was a student; I found it in a photobook shop in Paris. I bought it without hesitation, thinking, "Ah, it's the original." Our generation lives with these two axes in mind.

■Amver AUBERGE Designer: Manabu Kobayashi

Born in Kugenuma, Shonan in 1966. After graduating from high school, he enrolled in the Apparel Design Department of Bunka Fashion College to learn the fundamentals of fashion, and upon graduating in 1988, he traveled to France to study. After returning to Japan, he worked for five years as a planner for a denim and casual wear manufacturer headquartered in Carcassonne, Southern France. Later, he joined a state-of-the-art denim factory in Okayama. While learning about real manufacturing, he was involved in the planning and production of denim for numerous brands.
In 1998, he finally launched his own brand, Slowgun. Based on the concept of "nostalgic yet new," he continues to propose comfortable casual wear that mixes subcultures such as movies and music with fashion, and currently has a directly managed store, White*Slowgun, in Ebisu, which also serves as his office.

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Text: ISETAN MEN'S net
Photo: Amvai ( https://amvai.com/ )

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