Brand worship
Some say schools in Japan teach kids ‘how to be Japanese’ more than anything else. I have discovered that brand worship may be part of that education and learned from a very young age.
I was on Omotesando last week and saw a teacher lead a class of nursery school aged children to the Gucci shop window. As they eagerly peered in, the teacher pointed and spoke. I can only imagine what she was saying… "look children, this is Gucci, a very important designer. when you grow up, be a good Japanese citizen by spending all of your disposably income on luxury brands like Gucci …"
Gucci shop window on Omotesando. This season Gucci as well as other designers have reinterpreted the kimono (see Gucci's Spring 2003 collection, ready to wear).
Comments
just wanted to leave a note saying that I just discovered your blog and that I'm very happy that I did so. And that your photographs are interesting. Thanks! btw the Gucci shirt looks great...
by anja | 05.27.03 @ 08:32 PM
The teacher could have been saying , "Look children, this is overpriced, foreign, "burando" merchandise and it's all bullshit designed to get you to care about things that mean nothing. Don't get sucked into it." for all you know. Maybe if you learned the language you wouldn't have to imagine what the teacher was saying.
by zzzzzzz | 05.27.03 @ 11:47 PM
zzzzzzz, you might be right, she might have been saying that, but them why do the Japanese consume so much of the world's luxury brands? (the Japanese account for 40% of Louis Vuitton's sales!)
More importantly, IT WAS A JOKE!
by Nadine | 05.28.03 @ 09:47 AM
Nadine,
Gucci's website nicely demonstrates which markets are important to them: the website is available in Italian, English and Japanese. I guess that there are not too many Italian (?) companies who offer their website in Japanese. Thanks for offering the link to their webpage.
by J. | 05.28.03 @ 10:27 PM
I usualy hate the one-shoulder design thing but that's pretty sexy...
by Mr. X | 05.29.03 @ 01:35 PM
zzzzzzz - lignten up....I believe nadine was making ligth of some social observations - and as with most good jokes, there's a little bit of truth to it...
1) Japanese are leading consumers of high-end brand products (and apparently so is Nadine :o) )
and
2) Japanese schools do teach conformity
While I like to think the teacher was mearly pointing out the "re-invention of the kimono" or some other tidbit to the kids, its quite humorous to think that the teacher was saying Nadine's off-beat interpretation of the situation.
In fact, this gaijin thought her post was so funny that I forwarded a link to my born & raised japanese wife....
anyway, nice post and good humor, please keep'em coming regardless of whether or not you're able to "learn the language"
jones
by jones | 05.29.03 @ 03:34 PM
Thanks, Jones, you are spot on. I seem to be running about one in every hundred commentors not quite understanding my humor. Glad to hear it is not lost on everyone.
by Nadine | 06.01.03 @ 04:56 PM
In your free time, check out some helpful info dedicated to...
by loans | 01.02.05 @ 11:22 PM
I can't believe it, my co-worker just bought a car for $71432. Isn't that crazy!
by Betsy Markum | 11.15.05 @ 12:23 PM