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Scarves
The streets of Harajuku, a hip downtown neighbourhood in Tokyo, are where Japanese fashion trends are born.
The streets of Harajuku, a hip downtown
neighbourhood in Tokyo, are where Japanese fashion trends are
born.
Cyber sneakers, camouflage trousers, a shock of pink hair
-- and as a finishing touch, an "Arab scarf" bunched up around
the chin -- would be a combination that would turn heads in
many other places.
But here, the Middle Eastern cotton scarves have joined army-surplus gear and neo-punk to become the latest hot look.
Half a world away from the bazaars of Cairo and the emporiums of Damascus, young Japanese throng the back alleys of the capital`s hippest district sporting what they call "Arab scarves". For fad-crazed Tokyo teens, their fashion statement is anything but political and they are hardly aware of the significance of youths wearing these scarves in the Gaza strip or elsewhere in the Middle East.
The scarves or "gutra" are traditionally held in place over the head with a band. "I just wear it as fashion. I`m not really aware of it (political and cultural significance)," said Misaki Nakamura. "I like it because it matches anything," said 18 year old Atsushi Hatano. "I just think it`s cool." Chiaki Hayakawa, general manager of Gim Co, Ltd which owns several clothing shops in Harajuku, said he was surprised by the scarves` success at first.
"We started selling those scarves about two weeks ago and they were soon sold out. Since then we kept adding orders. We are expecting to sell about one thousand of Arab scarves. We are very surprised," said Hayakawa.
Hayakawa sells "Arab scarves" at 1,900 yen (16 U.S. dollars) to 2,900 yen (24 U.S. dollars). In his shop they are imported from mostly from South East Asia, but many other stores in the neighbourhood say they bought their supplies straight from the Middle East or even Afghanistan and sell them with a heftier price tag of 3,900 yen (32 U.S. dollars).
Hayakawa said recent news images of the war in Afghanistan is probably behind the huge success of the scarves.
"I think it (U.S.-led strikes on Afghanistan) have influenced a lot of young people into wearing these scarves.
In the first place, young people like the military look and these days they get hints on what to wear from watching the news on television every day and that helps sell these products, I think," he said. For some, military chic and a pseudo-survivalist look have become battle garb for a generation facing an ailing economy and increasingly bleak job prospects.
Bureau Report
But here, the Middle Eastern cotton scarves have joined army-surplus gear and neo-punk to become the latest hot look.
Half a world away from the bazaars of Cairo and the emporiums of Damascus, young Japanese throng the back alleys of the capital`s hippest district sporting what they call "Arab scarves". For fad-crazed Tokyo teens, their fashion statement is anything but political and they are hardly aware of the significance of youths wearing these scarves in the Gaza strip or elsewhere in the Middle East.
The scarves or "gutra" are traditionally held in place over the head with a band. "I just wear it as fashion. I`m not really aware of it (political and cultural significance)," said Misaki Nakamura. "I like it because it matches anything," said 18 year old Atsushi Hatano. "I just think it`s cool." Chiaki Hayakawa, general manager of Gim Co, Ltd which owns several clothing shops in Harajuku, said he was surprised by the scarves` success at first.
"We started selling those scarves about two weeks ago and they were soon sold out. Since then we kept adding orders. We are expecting to sell about one thousand of Arab scarves. We are very surprised," said Hayakawa.
Hayakawa sells "Arab scarves" at 1,900 yen (16 U.S. dollars) to 2,900 yen (24 U.S. dollars). In his shop they are imported from mostly from South East Asia, but many other stores in the neighbourhood say they bought their supplies straight from the Middle East or even Afghanistan and sell them with a heftier price tag of 3,900 yen (32 U.S. dollars).
Hayakawa said recent news images of the war in Afghanistan is probably behind the huge success of the scarves.
"I think it (U.S.-led strikes on Afghanistan) have influenced a lot of young people into wearing these scarves.
In the first place, young people like the military look and these days they get hints on what to wear from watching the news on television every day and that helps sell these products, I think," he said. For some, military chic and a pseudo-survivalist look have become battle garb for a generation facing an ailing economy and increasingly bleak job prospects.
Bureau Report