She's In Fashion

Phaidon Phenomenon: FRUiTS 

Of all the books on my shelf, there is one particular neon coloured paperback that never gathers dust. I bought it from a vintage clothing store in Edinburgh's Victoria Street in 2001 and have been fascinated by it ever since.

FRUiTS (http://au.phaidon.com/store/fashion-culture/shoichi-aoki-fresh-fruits-9780714845104/)followed four years later by Fresh FRUiTS (http://au.phaidon.com/store/fashion-culture/shoichi-aoki-fresh-fruits-9780714845104/)  is a stunning collection of photographs revealing teenage fashions in the Harajuku district of Tokyo, Japan. From tartan suits to leopard print leggings, stripy knitted trousers to multi-coloured hair, FRUiTS has it all.

Caught On Camera: Harajuku Street Style

Photographer Shoichi Aoki started documenting Japanese street fashion in the mid 1990s after noticing a change in the way young people were dressing. With the introduction of effective hair dye and growing popularity for Western clothing, Wamono fashion - a fusion of traditional kimonos and radical DIY designs - was born.

Aoki's photographs were first published in a monthly magazine in 1997 and enjoyed international recognition. The books feature the most adventurous, eccentric and beautiful images from his collection.

Each page presents a full colour photograph of one or two teens, while in the bottom corner a mini profile reveals their current interests and influences. The outfits themselves are incredible and can be studied for hours on end.

Weird & Wonderful: Shoichi Aoki's work

Often I will show my books to friends and watch them pore over the fun, colourful and flamboyant images. It's a book like no other - unique, ridiculous, and always manages to put a smile on my face.