The Rising Tides of Fashion Populism - Young Japanese women are increasingly buying their clothes from domestic manufacturers

Photography by Hiromi Iguchi (www.hiromiiguchi.com)

The overwhelming percentage of Japanese women owning Louis Vuitton handbags—anywhere between 30% and 90%, depending on whom you ask—has transcended objective statistical measure and transformed into a powerful symbol for the insatiable Japanese lust for European fashion goods and luxury brands. The numerous LV, Gucci, and Goyard handbags currently populating the Tokyo streets seem to suggest that nothing has changed in recent years. Few, however, are giving much attention to the nature of the clothing on the women carrying those luxury handbags.

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