It all started as an imitation, so you can’t think about whether that imitation is bad or good. In other words, why moralize on copying inside Japan culture when society as a whole was a copy?

Japanese fashion in many ways is levels ahead of Western and European fashion. Many of the most popular brands and styles to this date are Japanese - Kapital, Evisu, Bape, Issey Miyake, Undercover, CDG, and many more. However, it was not always that way. In Ametora, cultural historian David Marx covers post World War 2 Japan and their journey to find their own style. From high end denim to oxford button downs, Japanese artists and designers have taken a lot of inspiration from American styles, known as ametora (short for American traditional). This book covers over a hundred and fifty years, how Japanese trendsetters and entrepreneurs shifted the culture, by mimicking, adapting, and perfecting the American style.

As someone who has been very interested in fashion, this book was exactly what I was looking for. Marx not only covers the history, but also writes about the impact of the creation of streetwear and avant-garde. He explores how the obsession the Japanese had for dressing and style played into fashion consciousness and ideas today. He argues that despite Japan’s obsession and copy style of foreign fashion culture, they have taken it as their own to new heights, to the point that Japan and fashion cannot be separated.

Overall, this book has been such a great resource to dig deeper into the origin of many American fashion trends. The amount of information that Marx manages to pack in is nothing short of amazing. Ametora answered so many questions that I have had for years, but also evoked more questions about cultural exchanges, appropriation, and society.

Overall Rating: 9/10