Gaijin Paris: A store established in making Japanese vintage accessible and the marrying of French culture
November 15, 2022
FASHION & BEAUTY
Images by: Pierre Bailey
Article/Interview by: Camille Bavera
Paris. Tourists flock to the city every year for light, love, and the Louvre. French-hopefuls come to town all year-round, but the streets are especially packed in the summer. After seeing their friends' Instagram vacation pictures and reels, they give it a try of their own - how could they not? French FoMo and all.
Then there’s the (dare I say) fashion that goes with these influencer-type (or otherwise) trips: pink, lace, frills, poplin dresses, blue-and-white gingham, all black ala Audrey, etc. The brands you think of are not Comme, but Chanel. Not Schiaparelli, but Sandro. Like it or not, Paris has a surface-level aesthetic facade it’s expected to maintain. After all, a walk down the Rue de Saint-Honore means passing every couture house known to man and omits the feeling that you truly are in the happiest if not the bougiest place on earth.
That’s the thing about French fashion though - its culturally multifaceted resiliency. The streets are windy, and if you turn enough you may find yourself in the 3rd where vintage stores of every specialty are tucked away beneath the cream buildings with little balconies and colonial blue roofs. There’s the numerous Kilos and the Emmaus where you can hope to find quantity if not quality. You can dig and dig through the mountains of old t-shirts and gently used lingerie until you have a sizable pile, and quickly come to the conclusion that a kilo is a lot less than you thought it would be.
But heading east past Monsieur Pompidou, and you enter a different reality. One of curation, of designer pieces and those by unknown or forgotten labels, but all are chosen for their respective stores for a specific purpose. Because vintage, in Paris, is much more of a force than any city previously encountered.
It’s because of the history, no? So much of what we know today to be ‘fashion’ or ‘trendy’ started in France, and quite a lot of it stayed there too. Kim K in Balenciaga? Not the couturier and gown-making establishment it once was, certainly not the same muses either, but it’s French. Much like the twists and turns found in the city’s planning - make enough of them yourself and you’ll find that fashion has and will be, unequivocally, French. And in this case, Japanese as well.
Gaijin Paris
20 Rue du Pont au Choux, 75003 Paris, France
This store was undoubtedly a treat. Even though we arrived unannounced, the team at Gaijin Paris were the most welcoming they could be and the pride they carried for their beautifully curated range of Japanese clothing was evident. Avante-garde fashions by well-known Japanese designers have become quite the rage in the western hemisphere, particularly New York City, but that is not how they have been presented in the shop at 20 Rue du Pont aux Choux. It is a way of being and clothing oneself, and one that has been made accessible to consumers - not dangled at ridiculous prices and placed on shelves high out of reach, with price tags available on request. No. That is not what Gaijin is about. The store’s ethos is one of fairness, education, and openness. You don’t have to know Japanese fashion to shop there - because that is why one goes to 20 Rue du Pont au Choux - to learn, to experience, to be influenced and to influence others.
The store is the brainchild of Thomas Robert. He himself is a mix of Margiela and Saccai, with frosted tips and probably a great collection of obscure sneakers. While I move around the store compiling looks from easily recognizable brands, he follows me pulling pieces from designers completely unknown to me, creating outfits that merge the traditional, the vintage, and a flair unique to the newer generations.
How do you aim to make Japanese designers and fashion more accessible or closer to people who walk into your store? Is it important to attract those who are "outsiders" to this style of clothing?
Since the departure and creation of Gaijin Paris in 2018, our approach has been centered around sharing. Sharing our passion with any curious person is something fundamental for us. It's a pleasure. Few people can boast of having a passion for a job. Thus, our approach is relatively democratic, in the vision as well as in the prices. We don't want to make our curation unapproachable.
As a designer and consumer, how much is your own aesthetic influenced by traditional (or non-traditional) Japanese clothing? Or is it something you have a great appreciation for but doesn't fit into your sartorial area.
We are not designers, since we only make a selection/curation of vintage and second-hand pieces from Japanese designers. However, our passion leads us to have an appetite for the development of a small, unisex line, inspired by all the nuggets that we have in our hands every day. She may see the light of day soon. It must correspond to our values and follow a reasoned production process that respects the environment.
Our personal aesthetic is necessarily very influenced by Japanese designers, themselves very influenced by the history of clothing in the archipelago, by the force of things. We only offer, at Gaijin Paris, pieces that we deeply love, only things that we would wear or would like to see worn. We therefore wear a lot of pieces by Japanese designers every day, which does not prevent us from wearing pieces by other avant-garde or non-avant-garde designers, forgotten French designers such as Marithé François Girbaud or Taverniti, brands of friends in the same spirit as us (Norwegian Rain/T Michael Bergen for example), even vintage work pieces, from the army, or others, of very good quality. Everything is in the volumes, the proportions, the textures, the overlays, associations. The silhouette is composed like that with us, by antiquing and with a taste for beautiful things.
What do you think is the cause of the growing popularity of these designers and therefore a greater need for vintage/thrift clothing stores to carry a greater supply?
Interest is growing in the West in general for Japan, and more specifically for its creators. For us, it's dated, and if we had the idea of creating Gaijin Paris, it's also because we couldn't find what we wanted in Paris, while hunting around. We have become a reference and a rallying point for people like us, for people in the fashion/luxury business, for curious people and many more.
We think it is the growing mutual openness (or reopening, because the interest has always existed, see the Japanese movement in art for example) of Japanese designers to the West and Westerners to a more varied fashion who are responsible for the growing demand for Japanese fashion in the market. Many Japanese have long limited themselves to their own domestic market (beyond the great masters who have been exported for a long time). Many Westerners have long believed that Europe is the epicenter of fashion. This is not the case, and mentalities are changing at breakneck speed.
What elements would you like to see come out of design and fashion houses today that are currently lacking?
A return to a real perfect finish, on which the Japanese are intransigent. Not all Western houses are as attentive to it today.
A lot of interesting silhouettes are being developed right now. For example, Hed Mayner does a very nice job in the structure and the exaggeration of forms. Louis Rubi too, would benefit from being better known with his drapes, his fluid volumes. Some manage to develop very recognizable silhouettes, like them. Rather than following trends and focusing on what works or has already proven itself, we believe that some designers should focus on developing a real identity, through the silhouette.
The Japanese have always focused on this, whatever the fashions, developing their own vision. Cf Kenzo Takada (fluidity and colors), Issey Miyake (architectural and geometric constructions), later Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto (with their avant garde deconstructivist vision, when fashion was all about body con and structure), ecc.
The most beautiful thing a designer can do is create pieces that are recognizable at first glance by connoisseurs, without a logo.
As a relatively new store, how does Gaijin focus its efforts on the environment and sustainability?
With us, it's simple. The ecological impact is almost nil, producing nothing. We just have some (group) transport for parts. Even the furniture in the shop is either vintage or recycled.
No need to communicate on it, as many brands do today, to "buy a good conscience". We are inherently sustainable.
What do you think of second-hand clothing websites where the consumer chooses the piece without trying it on or feeling the material?
These are very interesting tools, but they require a good knowledge of the garment. It is more difficult without trying or touching, feeling. So it's not exactly for everyone.
Gaijin Paris: A store established in making Japanese vintage accessible and the marrying of French culture
November 15, 2022
FASHION & BEAUTY
Images by: Pierre Bailey
Article/Interview by: Camille Bavera
Paris. Tourists flock to the city every year for light, love, and the Louvre. French-hopefuls come to town all year-round, but the streets are especially packed in the summer. After seeing their friends' Instagram vacation pictures and reels, they give it a try of their own - how could they not? French FoMo and all.
Then there’s the (dare I say) fashion that goes with these influencer-type (or otherwise) trips: pink, lace, frills, poplin dresses, blue-and-white gingham, all black ala Audrey, etc. The brands you think of are not Comme, but Chanel. Not Schiaparelli, but Sandro. Like it or not, Paris has a surface-level aesthetic facade it’s expected to maintain. After all, a walk down the Rue de Saint-Honore means passing every couture house known to man and omits the feeling that you truly are in the happiest if not the bougiest place on earth.
That’s the thing about French fashion though - its culturally multifaceted resiliency. The streets are windy, and if you turn enough you may find yourself in the 3rd where vintage stores of every specialty are tucked away beneath the cream buildings with little balconies and colonial blue roofs. There’s the numerous Kilos and the Emmaus where you can hope to find quantity if not quality. You can dig and dig through the mountains of old t-shirts and gently used lingerie until you have a sizable pile, and quickly come to the conclusion that a kilo is a lot less than you thought it would be.
But heading east past Monsieur Pompidou, and you enter a different reality. One of curation, of designer pieces and those by unknown or forgotten labels, but all are chosen for their respective stores for a specific purpose. Because vintage, in Paris, is much more of a force than any city previously encountered.
It’s because of the history, no? So much of what we know today to be ‘fashion’ or ‘trendy’ started in France, and quite a lot of it stayed there too. Kim K in Balenciaga? Not the couturier and gown-making establishment it once was, certainly not the same muses either, but it’s French. Much like the twists and turns found in the city’s planning - make enough of them yourself and you’ll find that fashion has and will be, unequivocally, French. And in this case, Japanese as well.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Gaijin Paris: A store established in making Japanese vintage accessible and the marrying of French culture
November 15, 2022
FASHION & BEAUTY
Images by: Pierre Bailey
Article/Interview by: Camille Bavera
Paris. Tourists flock to the city every year for light, love, and the Louvre. French-hopefuls come to town all year-round, but the streets are especially packed in the summer. After seeing their friends' Instagram vacation pictures and reels, they give it a try of their own - how could they not? French FoMo and all.
Then there’s the (dare I say) fashion that goes with these influencer-type (or otherwise) trips: pink, lace, frills, poplin dresses, blue-and-white gingham, all black ala Audrey, etc. The brands you think of are not Comme, but Chanel. Not Schiaparelli, but Sandro. Like it or not, Paris has a surface-level aesthetic facade it’s expected to maintain. After all, a walk down the Rue de Saint-Honore means passing every couture house known to man and omits the feeling that you truly are in the happiest if not the bougiest place on earth.
That’s the thing about French fashion though - its culturally multifaceted resiliency. The streets are windy, and if you turn enough you may find yourself in the 3rd where vintage stores of every specialty are tucked away beneath the cream buildings with little balconies and colonial blue roofs. There’s the numerous Kilos and the Emmaus where you can hope to find quantity if not quality. You can dig and dig through the mountains of old t-shirts and gently used lingerie until you have a sizable pile, and quickly come to the conclusion that a kilo is a lot less than you thought it would be.
But heading east past Monsieur Pompidou, and you enter a different reality. One of curation, of designer pieces and those by unknown or forgotten labels, but all are chosen for their respective stores for a specific purpose. Because vintage, in Paris, is much more of a force than any city previously encountered.
It’s because of the history, no? So much of what we know today to be ‘fashion’ or ‘trendy’ started in France, and quite a lot of it stayed there too. Kim K in Balenciaga? Not the couturier and gown-making establishment it once was, certainly not the same muses either, but it’s French. Much like the twists and turns found in the city’s planning - make enough of them yourself and you’ll find that fashion has and will be, unequivocally, French. And in this case, Japanese as well.
Gaijin Paris
20 Rue du Pont au Choux, 75003 Paris, France
This store was undoubtedly a treat. Even though we arrived unannounced, the team at Gaijin Paris were the most welcoming they could be and the pride they carried for their beautifully curated range of Japanese clothing was evident. Avante-garde fashions by well-known Japanese designers have become quite the rage in the western hemisphere, particularly New York City, but that is not how they have been presented in the shop at 20 Rue du Pont aux Choux. It is a way of being and clothing oneself, and one that has been made accessible to consumers - not dangled at ridiculous prices and placed on shelves high out of reach, with price tags available on request. No. That is not what Gaijin is about. The store’s ethos is one of fairness, education, and openness. You don’t have to know Japanese fashion to shop there - because that is why one goes to 20 Rue du Pont au Choux - to learn, to experience, to be influenced and to influence others.
The store is the brainchild of Thomas Robert. He himself is a mix of Margiela and Saccai, with frosted tips and probably a great collection of obscure sneakers. While I move around the store compiling looks from easily recognizable brands, he follows me pulling pieces from designers completely unknown to me, creating outfits that merge the traditional, the vintage, and a flair unique to the newer generations.
How do you aim to make Japanese designers and fashion more accessible or closer to people who walk into your store? Is it important to attract those who are "outsiders" to this style of clothing?
Since the departure and creation of Gaijin Paris in 2018, our approach has been centered around sharing. Sharing our passion with any curious person is something fundamental for us. It's a pleasure. Few people can boast of having a passion for a job. Thus, our approach is relatively democratic, in the vision as well as in the prices. We don't want to make our curation unapproachable.
As a designer and consumer, how much is your own aesthetic influenced by traditional (or non-traditional) Japanese clothing? Or is it something you have a great appreciation for but doesn't fit into your sartorial area.
We are not designers, since we only make a selection/curation of vintage and second-hand pieces from Japanese designers. However, our passion leads us to have an appetite for the development of a small, unisex line, inspired by all the nuggets that we have in our hands every day. She may see the light of day soon. It must correspond to our values and follow a reasoned production process that respects the environment.
Our personal aesthetic is necessarily very influenced by Japanese designers, themselves very influenced by the history of clothing in the archipelago, by the force of things. We only offer, at Gaijin Paris, pieces that we deeply love, only things that we would wear or would like to see worn. We therefore wear a lot of pieces by Japanese designers every day, which does not prevent us from wearing pieces by other avant-garde or non-avant-garde designers, forgotten French designers such as Marithé François Girbaud or Taverniti, brands of friends in the same spirit as us (Norwegian Rain/T Michael Bergen for example), even vintage work pieces, from the army, or others, of very good quality. Everything is in the volumes, the proportions, the textures, the overlays, associations. The silhouette is composed like that with us, by antiquing and with a taste for beautiful things.
What do you think is the cause of the growing popularity of these designers and therefore a greater need for vintage/thrift clothing stores to carry a greater supply?
Interest is growing in the West in general for Japan, and more specifically for its creators. For us, it's dated, and if we had the idea of creating Gaijin Paris, it's also because we couldn't find what we wanted in Paris, while hunting around. We have become a reference and a rallying point for people like us, for people in the fashion/luxury business, for curious people and many more.
We think it is the growing mutual openness (or reopening, because the interest has always existed, see the Japanese movement in art for example) of Japanese designers to the West and Westerners to a more varied fashion who are responsible for the growing demand for Japanese fashion in the market. Many Japanese have long limited themselves to their own domestic market (beyond the great masters who have been exported for a long time). Many Westerners have long believed that Europe is the epicenter of fashion. This is not the case, and mentalities are changing at breakneck speed.
What elements would you like to see come out of design and fashion houses today that are currently lacking?
A return to a real perfect finish, on which the Japanese are intransigent. Not all Western houses are as attentive to it today.
A lot of interesting silhouettes are being developed right now. For example, Hed Mayner does a very nice job in the structure and the exaggeration of forms. Louis Rubi too, would benefit from being better known with his drapes, his fluid volumes. Some manage to develop very recognizable silhouettes, like them. Rather than following trends and focusing on what works or has already proven itself, we believe that some designers should focus on developing a real identity, through the silhouette.
The Japanese have always focused on this, whatever the fashions, developing their own vision. Cf Kenzo Takada (fluidity and colors), Issey Miyake (architectural and geometric constructions), later Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto (with their avant garde deconstructivist vision, when fashion was all about body con and structure), ecc.
The most beautiful thing a designer can do is create pieces that are recognizable at first glance by connoisseurs, without a logo.
As a relatively new store, how does Gaijin focus its efforts on the environment and sustainability?
With us, it's simple. The ecological impact is almost nil, producing nothing. We just have some (group) transport for parts. Even the furniture in the shop is either vintage or recycled.
No need to communicate on it, as many brands do today, to "buy a good conscience". We are inherently sustainable.
What do you think of second-hand clothing websites where the consumer chooses the piece without trying it on or feeling the material?
These are very interesting tools, but they require a good knowledge of the garment. It is more difficult without trying or touching, feeling. So it's not exactly for everyone.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Gaijin Paris: A store established in making Japanese vintage accessible and the marrying of French culture
HASSON
November 15, 2022
FASHION & BEAUTY
Images by: Pierre Bailey
Article/Interview by: Camille Bavera
Paris. Tourists flock to the city every year for light, love, and the Louvre. French-hopefuls come to town all year-round, but the streets are especially packed in the summer. After seeing their friends' Instagram vacation pictures and reels, they give it a try of their own - how could they not? French FoMo and all.
Then there’s the (dare I say) fashion that goes with these influencer-type (or otherwise) trips: pink, lace, frills, poplin dresses, blue-and-white gingham, all black ala Audrey, etc. The brands you think of are not Comme, but Chanel. Not Schiaparelli, but Sandro. Like it or not, Paris has a surface-level aesthetic facade it’s expected to maintain. After all, a walk down the Rue de Saint-Honore means passing every couture house known to man and omits the feeling that you truly are in the happiest if not the bougiest place on earth.
That’s the thing about French fashion though - its culturally multifaceted resiliency. The streets are windy, and if you turn enough you may find yourself in the 3rd where vintage stores of every specialty are tucked away beneath the cream buildings with little balconies and colonial blue roofs. There’s the numerous Kilos and the Emmaus where you can hope to find quantity if not quality. You can dig and dig through the mountains of old t-shirts and gently used lingerie until you have a sizable pile, and quickly come to the conclusion that a kilo is a lot less than you thought it would be.
But heading east past Monsieur Pompidou, and you enter a different reality. One of curation, of designer pieces and those by unknown or forgotten labels, but all are chosen for their respective stores for a specific purpose. Because vintage, in Paris, is much more of a force than any city previously encountered.
It’s because of the history, no? So much of what we know today to be ‘fashion’ or ‘trendy’ started in France, and quite a lot of it stayed there too. Kim K in Balenciaga? Not the couturier and gown-making establishment it once was, certainly not the same muses either, but it’s French. Much like the twists and turns found in the city’s planning - make enough of them yourself and you’ll find that fashion has and will be, unequivocally, French. And in this case, Japanese as well.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Gaijin Paris: A store established in making Japanese vintage accessible and the marrying of French culture
November 15, 2022
FASHION & BEAUTY
Images by: Pierre Bailey
Article/Interview by: Camille Bavera
No items found.
Paris. Tourists flock to the city every year for light, love, and the Louvre. French-hopefuls come to town all year-round, but the streets are especially packed in the summer. After seeing their friends' Instagram vacation pictures and reels, they give it a try of their own - how could they not? French FoMo and all.
Then there’s the (dare I say) fashion that goes with these influencer-type (or otherwise) trips: pink, lace, frills, poplin dresses, blue-and-white gingham, all black ala Audrey, etc. The brands you think of are not Comme, but Chanel. Not Schiaparelli, but Sandro. Like it or not, Paris has a surface-level aesthetic facade it’s expected to maintain. After all, a walk down the Rue de Saint-Honore means passing every couture house known to man and omits the feeling that you truly are in the happiest if not the bougiest place on earth.
That’s the thing about French fashion though - its culturally multifaceted resiliency. The streets are windy, and if you turn enough you may find yourself in the 3rd where vintage stores of every specialty are tucked away beneath the cream buildings with little balconies and colonial blue roofs. There’s the numerous Kilos and the Emmaus where you can hope to find quantity if not quality. You can dig and dig through the mountains of old t-shirts and gently used lingerie until you have a sizable pile, and quickly come to the conclusion that a kilo is a lot less than you thought it would be.
But heading east past Monsieur Pompidou, and you enter a different reality. One of curation, of designer pieces and those by unknown or forgotten labels, but all are chosen for their respective stores for a specific purpose. Because vintage, in Paris, is much more of a force than any city previously encountered.
It’s because of the history, no? So much of what we know today to be ‘fashion’ or ‘trendy’ started in France, and quite a lot of it stayed there too. Kim K in Balenciaga? Not the couturier and gown-making establishment it once was, certainly not the same muses either, but it’s French. Much like the twists and turns found in the city’s planning - make enough of them yourself and you’ll find that fashion has and will be, unequivocally, French. And in this case, Japanese as well.
Gaijin Paris: A store established in making Japanese vintage accessible and the marrying of French culture
November 15, 2022
FASHION & BEAUTY
Images by: Pierre Bailey
Article/Interview by: Camille Bavera
Paris. Tourists flock to the city every year for light, love, and the Louvre. French-hopefuls come to town all year-round, but the streets are especially packed in the summer. After seeing their friends' Instagram vacation pictures and reels, they give it a try of their own - how could they not? French FoMo and all.
Then there’s the (dare I say) fashion that goes with these influencer-type (or otherwise) trips: pink, lace, frills, poplin dresses, blue-and-white gingham, all black ala Audrey, etc. The brands you think of are not Comme, but Chanel. Not Schiaparelli, but Sandro. Like it or not, Paris has a surface-level aesthetic facade it’s expected to maintain. After all, a walk down the Rue de Saint-Honore means passing every couture house known to man and omits the feeling that you truly are in the happiest if not the bougiest place on earth.
That’s the thing about French fashion though - its culturally multifaceted resiliency. The streets are windy, and if you turn enough you may find yourself in the 3rd where vintage stores of every specialty are tucked away beneath the cream buildings with little balconies and colonial blue roofs. There’s the numerous Kilos and the Emmaus where you can hope to find quantity if not quality. You can dig and dig through the mountains of old t-shirts and gently used lingerie until you have a sizable pile, and quickly come to the conclusion that a kilo is a lot less than you thought it would be.
But heading east past Monsieur Pompidou, and you enter a different reality. One of curation, of designer pieces and those by unknown or forgotten labels, but all are chosen for their respective stores for a specific purpose. Because vintage, in Paris, is much more of a force than any city previously encountered.
It’s because of the history, no? So much of what we know today to be ‘fashion’ or ‘trendy’ started in France, and quite a lot of it stayed there too. Kim K in Balenciaga? Not the couturier and gown-making establishment it once was, certainly not the same muses either, but it’s French. Much like the twists and turns found in the city’s planning - make enough of them yourself and you’ll find that fashion has and will be, unequivocally, French. And in this case, Japanese as well.
Gaijin Paris
20 Rue du Pont au Choux, 75003 Paris, France
This store was undoubtedly a treat. Even though we arrived unannounced, the team at Gaijin Paris were the most welcoming they could be and the pride they carried for their beautifully curated range of Japanese clothing was evident. Avante-garde fashions by well-known Japanese designers have become quite the rage in the western hemisphere, particularly New York City, but that is not how they have been presented in the shop at 20 Rue du Pont aux Choux. It is a way of being and clothing oneself, and one that has been made accessible to consumers - not dangled at ridiculous prices and placed on shelves high out of reach, with price tags available on request. No. That is not what Gaijin is about. The store’s ethos is one of fairness, education, and openness. You don’t have to know Japanese fashion to shop there - because that is why one goes to 20 Rue du Pont au Choux - to learn, to experience, to be influenced and to influence others.
The store is the brainchild of Thomas Robert. He himself is a mix of Margiela and Saccai, with frosted tips and probably a great collection of obscure sneakers. While I move around the store compiling looks from easily recognizable brands, he follows me pulling pieces from designers completely unknown to me, creating outfits that merge the traditional, the vintage, and a flair unique to the newer generations.
How do you aim to make Japanese designers and fashion more accessible or closer to people who walk into your store? Is it important to attract those who are "outsiders" to this style of clothing?
Since the departure and creation of Gaijin Paris in 2018, our approach has been centered around sharing. Sharing our passion with any curious person is something fundamental for us. It's a pleasure. Few people can boast of having a passion for a job. Thus, our approach is relatively democratic, in the vision as well as in the prices. We don't want to make our curation unapproachable.
As a designer and consumer, how much is your own aesthetic influenced by traditional (or non-traditional) Japanese clothing? Or is it something you have a great appreciation for but doesn't fit into your sartorial area.
We are not designers, since we only make a selection/curation of vintage and second-hand pieces from Japanese designers. However, our passion leads us to have an appetite for the development of a small, unisex line, inspired by all the nuggets that we have in our hands every day. She may see the light of day soon. It must correspond to our values and follow a reasoned production process that respects the environment.
Our personal aesthetic is necessarily very influenced by Japanese designers, themselves very influenced by the history of clothing in the archipelago, by the force of things. We only offer, at Gaijin Paris, pieces that we deeply love, only things that we would wear or would like to see worn. We therefore wear a lot of pieces by Japanese designers every day, which does not prevent us from wearing pieces by other avant-garde or non-avant-garde designers, forgotten French designers such as Marithé François Girbaud or Taverniti, brands of friends in the same spirit as us (Norwegian Rain/T Michael Bergen for example), even vintage work pieces, from the army, or others, of very good quality. Everything is in the volumes, the proportions, the textures, the overlays, associations. The silhouette is composed like that with us, by antiquing and with a taste for beautiful things.
What do you think is the cause of the growing popularity of these designers and therefore a greater need for vintage/thrift clothing stores to carry a greater supply?
Interest is growing in the West in general for Japan, and more specifically for its creators. For us, it's dated, and if we had the idea of creating Gaijin Paris, it's also because we couldn't find what we wanted in Paris, while hunting around. We have become a reference and a rallying point for people like us, for people in the fashion/luxury business, for curious people and many more.
We think it is the growing mutual openness (or reopening, because the interest has always existed, see the Japanese movement in art for example) of Japanese designers to the West and Westerners to a more varied fashion who are responsible for the growing demand for Japanese fashion in the market. Many Japanese have long limited themselves to their own domestic market (beyond the great masters who have been exported for a long time). Many Westerners have long believed that Europe is the epicenter of fashion. This is not the case, and mentalities are changing at breakneck speed.
What elements would you like to see come out of design and fashion houses today that are currently lacking?
A return to a real perfect finish, on which the Japanese are intransigent. Not all Western houses are as attentive to it today.
A lot of interesting silhouettes are being developed right now. For example, Hed Mayner does a very nice job in the structure and the exaggeration of forms. Louis Rubi too, would benefit from being better known with his drapes, his fluid volumes. Some manage to develop very recognizable silhouettes, like them. Rather than following trends and focusing on what works or has already proven itself, we believe that some designers should focus on developing a real identity, through the silhouette.
The Japanese have always focused on this, whatever the fashions, developing their own vision. Cf Kenzo Takada (fluidity and colors), Issey Miyake (architectural and geometric constructions), later Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto (with their avant garde deconstructivist vision, when fashion was all about body con and structure), ecc.
The most beautiful thing a designer can do is create pieces that are recognizable at first glance by connoisseurs, without a logo.
As a relatively new store, how does Gaijin focus its efforts on the environment and sustainability?
With us, it's simple. The ecological impact is almost nil, producing nothing. We just have some (group) transport for parts. Even the furniture in the shop is either vintage or recycled.
No need to communicate on it, as many brands do today, to "buy a good conscience". We are inherently sustainable.
What do you think of second-hand clothing websites where the consumer chooses the piece without trying it on or feeling the material?
These are very interesting tools, but they require a good knowledge of the garment. It is more difficult without trying or touching, feeling. So it's not exactly for everyone.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Pink
frost
Thistle
brown
November 15, 2022
FASHION & BEAUTY
Images by: Pierre Bailey
Article/Interview by: Camille Bavera
Super talented stylist-turned-photographer Thistle Browne and stylist Heathermary Jackson — both in New Zealand during COVID-19 lockdowns — traveled to Rangitoto Island, a dormant volcano off the coast of Central Auckland, to shoot the new campaign for New Zealand jewelry designer Jasmin Sparrow. The shoot showcases Sparrow’s timeless gold and silver jewelry, and a beautiful collection of hand-beaded bras and skull caps designed with Glen Prentice. Models wore mainly vintage from Search and Destroy and Brownstone Cowboys’ collection, combined with some local, sustainable brands and New Zealand gumboots (rainboots).
Photography:Thistle Brown Styling:Heathermary Jackson Designers: Jasmin Sparrow and Glen Prentice Models: Charlotte Moffatt, Nina Katungi, Obadiah Russon
Gaijin Paris: A store established in making Japanese vintage accessible and the marrying of French culture
November 15, 2022
FASHION & BEAUTY
Images by: Pierre Bailey
Article/Interview by: Camille Bavera
Paris. Tourists flock to the city every year for light, love, and the Louvre. French-hopefuls come to town all year-round, but the streets are especially packed in the summer. After seeing their friends' Instagram vacation pictures and reels, they give it a try of their own - how could they not? French FoMo and all.
Then there’s the (dare I say) fashion that goes with these influencer-type (or otherwise) trips: pink, lace, frills, poplin dresses, blue-and-white gingham, all black ala Audrey, etc. The brands you think of are not Comme, but Chanel. Not Schiaparelli, but Sandro. Like it or not, Paris has a surface-level aesthetic facade it’s expected to maintain. After all, a walk down the Rue de Saint-Honore means passing every couture house known to man and omits the feeling that you truly are in the happiest if not the bougiest place on earth.
That’s the thing about French fashion though - its culturally multifaceted resiliency. The streets are windy, and if you turn enough you may find yourself in the 3rd where vintage stores of every specialty are tucked away beneath the cream buildings with little balconies and colonial blue roofs. There’s the numerous Kilos and the Emmaus where you can hope to find quantity if not quality. You can dig and dig through the mountains of old t-shirts and gently used lingerie until you have a sizable pile, and quickly come to the conclusion that a kilo is a lot less than you thought it would be.
But heading east past Monsieur Pompidou, and you enter a different reality. One of curation, of designer pieces and those by unknown or forgotten labels, but all are chosen for their respective stores for a specific purpose. Because vintage, in Paris, is much more of a force than any city previously encountered.
It’s because of the history, no? So much of what we know today to be ‘fashion’ or ‘trendy’ started in France, and quite a lot of it stayed there too. Kim K in Balenciaga? Not the couturier and gown-making establishment it once was, certainly not the same muses either, but it’s French. Much like the twists and turns found in the city’s planning - make enough of them yourself and you’ll find that fashion has and will be, unequivocally, French. And in this case, Japanese as well.
Gaijin Paris
20 Rue du Pont au Choux, 75003 Paris, France
This store was undoubtedly a treat. Even though we arrived unannounced, the team at Gaijin Paris were the most welcoming they could be and the pride they carried for their beautifully curated range of Japanese clothing was evident. Avante-garde fashions by well-known Japanese designers have become quite the rage in the western hemisphere, particularly New York City, but that is not how they have been presented in the shop at 20 Rue du Pont aux Choux. It is a way of being and clothing oneself, and one that has been made accessible to consumers - not dangled at ridiculous prices and placed on shelves high out of reach, with price tags available on request. No. That is not what Gaijin is about. The store’s ethos is one of fairness, education, and openness. You don’t have to know Japanese fashion to shop there - because that is why one goes to 20 Rue du Pont au Choux - to learn, to experience, to be influenced and to influence others.
The store is the brainchild of Thomas Robert. He himself is a mix of Margiela and Saccai, with frosted tips and probably a great collection of obscure sneakers. While I move around the store compiling looks from easily recognizable brands, he follows me pulling pieces from designers completely unknown to me, creating outfits that merge the traditional, the vintage, and a flair unique to the newer generations.
How do you aim to make Japanese designers and fashion more accessible or closer to people who walk into your store? Is it important to attract those who are "outsiders" to this style of clothing?
Since the departure and creation of Gaijin Paris in 2018, our approach has been centered around sharing. Sharing our passion with any curious person is something fundamental for us. It's a pleasure. Few people can boast of having a passion for a job. Thus, our approach is relatively democratic, in the vision as well as in the prices. We don't want to make our curation unapproachable.
As a designer and consumer, how much is your own aesthetic influenced by traditional (or non-traditional) Japanese clothing? Or is it something you have a great appreciation for but doesn't fit into your sartorial area.
We are not designers, since we only make a selection/curation of vintage and second-hand pieces from Japanese designers. However, our passion leads us to have an appetite for the development of a small, unisex line, inspired by all the nuggets that we have in our hands every day. She may see the light of day soon. It must correspond to our values and follow a reasoned production process that respects the environment.
Our personal aesthetic is necessarily very influenced by Japanese designers, themselves very influenced by the history of clothing in the archipelago, by the force of things. We only offer, at Gaijin Paris, pieces that we deeply love, only things that we would wear or would like to see worn. We therefore wear a lot of pieces by Japanese designers every day, which does not prevent us from wearing pieces by other avant-garde or non-avant-garde designers, forgotten French designers such as Marithé François Girbaud or Taverniti, brands of friends in the same spirit as us (Norwegian Rain/T Michael Bergen for example), even vintage work pieces, from the army, or others, of very good quality. Everything is in the volumes, the proportions, the textures, the overlays, associations. The silhouette is composed like that with us, by antiquing and with a taste for beautiful things.
What do you think is the cause of the growing popularity of these designers and therefore a greater need for vintage/thrift clothing stores to carry a greater supply?
Interest is growing in the West in general for Japan, and more specifically for its creators. For us, it's dated, and if we had the idea of creating Gaijin Paris, it's also because we couldn't find what we wanted in Paris, while hunting around. We have become a reference and a rallying point for people like us, for people in the fashion/luxury business, for curious people and many more.
We think it is the growing mutual openness (or reopening, because the interest has always existed, see the Japanese movement in art for example) of Japanese designers to the West and Westerners to a more varied fashion who are responsible for the growing demand for Japanese fashion in the market. Many Japanese have long limited themselves to their own domestic market (beyond the great masters who have been exported for a long time). Many Westerners have long believed that Europe is the epicenter of fashion. This is not the case, and mentalities are changing at breakneck speed.
What elements would you like to see come out of design and fashion houses today that are currently lacking?
A return to a real perfect finish, on which the Japanese are intransigent. Not all Western houses are as attentive to it today.
A lot of interesting silhouettes are being developed right now. For example, Hed Mayner does a very nice job in the structure and the exaggeration of forms. Louis Rubi too, would benefit from being better known with his drapes, his fluid volumes. Some manage to develop very recognizable silhouettes, like them. Rather than following trends and focusing on what works or has already proven itself, we believe that some designers should focus on developing a real identity, through the silhouette.
The Japanese have always focused on this, whatever the fashions, developing their own vision. Cf Kenzo Takada (fluidity and colors), Issey Miyake (architectural and geometric constructions), later Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto (with their avant garde deconstructivist vision, when fashion was all about body con and structure), ecc.
The most beautiful thing a designer can do is create pieces that are recognizable at first glance by connoisseurs, without a logo.
As a relatively new store, how does Gaijin focus its efforts on the environment and sustainability?
With us, it's simple. The ecological impact is almost nil, producing nothing. We just have some (group) transport for parts. Even the furniture in the shop is either vintage or recycled.
No need to communicate on it, as many brands do today, to "buy a good conscience". We are inherently sustainable.
What do you think of second-hand clothing websites where the consumer chooses the piece without trying it on or feeling the material?
These are very interesting tools, but they require a good knowledge of the garment. It is more difficult without trying or touching, feeling. So it's not exactly for everyone.
Which new or relatively unknown Japanese labels are you excited to see take off?
We had the opportunity to come across quite a few Japanese labels during our travels to hunt around. The ones we would like to see take off are countless. But sometimes, the very charm of a creation is that it remains niche and not physically accessible, because it is produced very little.
In the already little known houses that speak to us a lot and which remain almost unknown in the West, we could mention Facetasm, genderfluid creations, very varied, which often merge the idea of sportswear with more "couture" and dressy elements.
In the young and less luxury brands, but still high-end, we also really like the silhouette of My Beautiful Landlet, still not widely distributed, very oversized and significant to a part of Japanese fashion. That of Cloud Lobby too, which we welcomed as a pop-up at home and of which the Japanese creator is a friend.
Would you consider Paris the epicenter of vintage shopping? Or at least a most varied city?
Paris has undoubtedly evolved a lot in recent decades, with ever more targeted and sometimes cutting-edge concepts in this area. But Tokyo is and will remain a paradise for bargain hunters of all kinds.
Did you have a specific clientele in mind when you opened Gaijin?
By launching Gaijin Paris, we thought we were addressing a relatively targeted clientele, quite similar to us, in terms of generation and profile. Our customer base is actually much larger.
From 18 to 80 years old(Sometimes the prettiest silhouettes that come into the shop are early fans of Yohji and Like, for example, who've been wearing them since the '80s, which gives an idea of their age).
- Vintage and archive collectors of course
- Fahionistas (in a good way)
- Japanese designers fans (sometimes over 70 y/o)
- Some japanese culture lovers
- Curious people, in search of high quality, refined clothing
- Stylists
- Costumers for movies and shows.
- Studios of fashion houses, for research, which is a secret everybody is aware of, when you are a shop with a curated selection.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Gaijin Paris: A store established in making Japanese vintage accessible and the marrying of French culture
November 15, 2022
FASHION & BEAUTY
Images by: Pierre Bailey
Article/Interview by: Camille Bavera
Paris. Tourists flock to the city every year for light, love, and the Louvre. French-hopefuls come to town all year-round, but the streets are especially packed in the summer. After seeing their friends' Instagram vacation pictures and reels, they give it a try of their own - how could they not? French FoMo and all.
Then there’s the (dare I say) fashion that goes with these influencer-type (or otherwise) trips: pink, lace, frills, poplin dresses, blue-and-white gingham, all black ala Audrey, etc. The brands you think of are not Comme, but Chanel. Not Schiaparelli, but Sandro. Like it or not, Paris has a surface-level aesthetic facade it’s expected to maintain. After all, a walk down the Rue de Saint-Honore means passing every couture house known to man and omits the feeling that you truly are in the happiest if not the bougiest place on earth.
That’s the thing about French fashion though - its culturally multifaceted resiliency. The streets are windy, and if you turn enough you may find yourself in the 3rd where vintage stores of every specialty are tucked away beneath the cream buildings with little balconies and colonial blue roofs. There’s the numerous Kilos and the Emmaus where you can hope to find quantity if not quality. You can dig and dig through the mountains of old t-shirts and gently used lingerie until you have a sizable pile, and quickly come to the conclusion that a kilo is a lot less than you thought it would be.
But heading east past Monsieur Pompidou, and you enter a different reality. One of curation, of designer pieces and those by unknown or forgotten labels, but all are chosen for their respective stores for a specific purpose. Because vintage, in Paris, is much more of a force than any city previously encountered.
It’s because of the history, no? So much of what we know today to be ‘fashion’ or ‘trendy’ started in France, and quite a lot of it stayed there too. Kim K in Balenciaga? Not the couturier and gown-making establishment it once was, certainly not the same muses either, but it’s French. Much like the twists and turns found in the city’s planning - make enough of them yourself and you’ll find that fashion has and will be, unequivocally, French. And in this case, Japanese as well.
Gaijin Paris
20 Rue du Pont au Choux, 75003 Paris, France
This store was undoubtedly a treat. Even though we arrived unannounced, the team at Gaijin Paris were the most welcoming they could be and the pride they carried for their beautifully curated range of Japanese clothing was evident. Avante-garde fashions by well-known Japanese designers have become quite the rage in the western hemisphere, particularly New York City, but that is not how they have been presented in the shop at 20 Rue du Pont aux Choux. It is a way of being and clothing oneself, and one that has been made accessible to consumers - not dangled at ridiculous prices and placed on shelves high out of reach, with price tags available on request. No. That is not what Gaijin is about. The store’s ethos is one of fairness, education, and openness. You don’t have to know Japanese fashion to shop there - because that is why one goes to 20 Rue du Pont au Choux - to learn, to experience, to be influenced and to influence others.
The store is the brainchild of Thomas Robert. He himself is a mix of Margiela and Saccai, with frosted tips and probably a great collection of obscure sneakers. While I move around the store compiling looks from easily recognizable brands, he follows me pulling pieces from designers completely unknown to me, creating outfits that merge the traditional, the vintage, and a flair unique to the newer generations.
How do you aim to make Japanese designers and fashion more accessible or closer to people who walk into your store? Is it important to attract those who are "outsiders" to this style of clothing?
Since the departure and creation of Gaijin Paris in 2018, our approach has been centered around sharing. Sharing our passion with any curious person is something fundamental for us. It's a pleasure. Few people can boast of having a passion for a job. Thus, our approach is relatively democratic, in the vision as well as in the prices. We don't want to make our curation unapproachable.
As a designer and consumer, how much is your own aesthetic influenced by traditional (or non-traditional) Japanese clothing? Or is it something you have a great appreciation for but doesn't fit into your sartorial area.
We are not designers, since we only make a selection/curation of vintage and second-hand pieces from Japanese designers. However, our passion leads us to have an appetite for the development of a small, unisex line, inspired by all the nuggets that we have in our hands every day. She may see the light of day soon. It must correspond to our values and follow a reasoned production process that respects the environment.
Our personal aesthetic is necessarily very influenced by Japanese designers, themselves very influenced by the history of clothing in the archipelago, by the force of things. We only offer, at Gaijin Paris, pieces that we deeply love, only things that we would wear or would like to see worn. We therefore wear a lot of pieces by Japanese designers every day, which does not prevent us from wearing pieces by other avant-garde or non-avant-garde designers, forgotten French designers such as Marithé François Girbaud or Taverniti, brands of friends in the same spirit as us (Norwegian Rain/T Michael Bergen for example), even vintage work pieces, from the army, or others, of very good quality. Everything is in the volumes, the proportions, the textures, the overlays, associations. The silhouette is composed like that with us, by antiquing and with a taste for beautiful things.
What do you think is the cause of the growing popularity of these designers and therefore a greater need for vintage/thrift clothing stores to carry a greater supply?
Interest is growing in the West in general for Japan, and more specifically for its creators. For us, it's dated, and if we had the idea of creating Gaijin Paris, it's also because we couldn't find what we wanted in Paris, while hunting around. We have become a reference and a rallying point for people like us, for people in the fashion/luxury business, for curious people and many more.
We think it is the growing mutual openness (or reopening, because the interest has always existed, see the Japanese movement in art for example) of Japanese designers to the West and Westerners to a more varied fashion who are responsible for the growing demand for Japanese fashion in the market. Many Japanese have long limited themselves to their own domestic market (beyond the great masters who have been exported for a long time). Many Westerners have long believed that Europe is the epicenter of fashion. This is not the case, and mentalities are changing at breakneck speed.
What elements would you like to see come out of design and fashion houses today that are currently lacking?
A return to a real perfect finish, on which the Japanese are intransigent. Not all Western houses are as attentive to it today.
A lot of interesting silhouettes are being developed right now. For example, Hed Mayner does a very nice job in the structure and the exaggeration of forms. Louis Rubi too, would benefit from being better known with his drapes, his fluid volumes. Some manage to develop very recognizable silhouettes, like them. Rather than following trends and focusing on what works or has already proven itself, we believe that some designers should focus on developing a real identity, through the silhouette.
The Japanese have always focused on this, whatever the fashions, developing their own vision. Cf Kenzo Takada (fluidity and colors), Issey Miyake (architectural and geometric constructions), later Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto (with their avant garde deconstructivist vision, when fashion was all about body con and structure), ecc.
The most beautiful thing a designer can do is create pieces that are recognizable at first glance by connoisseurs, without a logo.
As a relatively new store, how does Gaijin focus its efforts on the environment and sustainability?
With us, it's simple. The ecological impact is almost nil, producing nothing. We just have some (group) transport for parts. Even the furniture in the shop is either vintage or recycled.
No need to communicate on it, as many brands do today, to "buy a good conscience". We are inherently sustainable.
What do you think of second-hand clothing websites where the consumer chooses the piece without trying it on or feeling the material?
These are very interesting tools, but they require a good knowledge of the garment. It is more difficult without trying or touching, feeling. So it's not exactly for everyone.
Which new or relatively unknown Japanese labels are you excited to see take off?
We had the opportunity to come across quite a few Japanese labels during our travels to hunt around. The ones we would like to see take off are countless. But sometimes, the very charm of a creation is that it remains niche and not physically accessible, because it is produced very little.
In the already little known houses that speak to us a lot and which remain almost unknown in the West, we could mention Facetasm, genderfluid creations, very varied, which often merge the idea of sportswear with more "couture" and dressy elements.
In the young and less luxury brands, but still high-end, we also really like the silhouette of My Beautiful Landlet, still not widely distributed, very oversized and significant to a part of Japanese fashion. That of Cloud Lobby too, which we welcomed as a pop-up at home and of which the Japanese creator is a friend.
Would you consider Paris the epicenter of vintage shopping? Or at least a most varied city?
Paris has undoubtedly evolved a lot in recent decades, with ever more targeted and sometimes cutting-edge concepts in this area. But Tokyo is and will remain a paradise for bargain hunters of all kinds.
Did you have a specific clientele in mind when you opened Gaijin?
By launching Gaijin Paris, we thought we were addressing a relatively targeted clientele, quite similar to us, in terms of generation and profile. Our customer base is actually much larger.
From 18 to 80 years old(Sometimes the prettiest silhouettes that come into the shop are early fans of Yohji and Like, for example, who've been wearing them since the '80s, which gives an idea of their age).
- Vintage and archive collectors of course
- Fahionistas (in a good way)
- Japanese designers fans (sometimes over 70 y/o)
- Some japanese culture lovers
- Curious people, in search of high quality, refined clothing
- Stylists
- Costumers for movies and shows.
- Studios of fashion houses, for research, which is a secret everybody is aware of, when you are a shop with a curated selection.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Gaijin Paris: A store established in making Japanese vintage accessible and the marrying of French culture
November 15, 2022
FASHION & BEAUTY
Images by: Pierre Bailey
Article/Interview by: Camille Bavera
Paris. Tourists flock to the city every year for light, love, and the Louvre. French-hopefuls come to town all year-round, but the streets are especially packed in the summer. After seeing their friends' Instagram vacation pictures and reels, they give it a try of their own - how could they not? French FoMo and all.
Then there’s the (dare I say) fashion that goes with these influencer-type (or otherwise) trips: pink, lace, frills, poplin dresses, blue-and-white gingham, all black ala Audrey, etc. The brands you think of are not Comme, but Chanel. Not Schiaparelli, but Sandro. Like it or not, Paris has a surface-level aesthetic facade it’s expected to maintain. After all, a walk down the Rue de Saint-Honore means passing every couture house known to man and omits the feeling that you truly are in the happiest if not the bougiest place on earth.
That’s the thing about French fashion though - its culturally multifaceted resiliency. The streets are windy, and if you turn enough you may find yourself in the 3rd where vintage stores of every specialty are tucked away beneath the cream buildings with little balconies and colonial blue roofs. There’s the numerous Kilos and the Emmaus where you can hope to find quantity if not quality. You can dig and dig through the mountains of old t-shirts and gently used lingerie until you have a sizable pile, and quickly come to the conclusion that a kilo is a lot less than you thought it would be.
But heading east past Monsieur Pompidou, and you enter a different reality. One of curation, of designer pieces and those by unknown or forgotten labels, but all are chosen for their respective stores for a specific purpose. Because vintage, in Paris, is much more of a force than any city previously encountered.
It’s because of the history, no? So much of what we know today to be ‘fashion’ or ‘trendy’ started in France, and quite a lot of it stayed there too. Kim K in Balenciaga? Not the couturier and gown-making establishment it once was, certainly not the same muses either, but it’s French. Much like the twists and turns found in the city’s planning - make enough of them yourself and you’ll find that fashion has and will be, unequivocally, French. And in this case, Japanese as well.
Gaijin Paris
20 Rue du Pont au Choux, 75003 Paris, France
This store was undoubtedly a treat. Even though we arrived unannounced, the team at Gaijin Paris were the most welcoming they could be and the pride they carried for their beautifully curated range of Japanese clothing was evident. Avante-garde fashions by well-known Japanese designers have become quite the rage in the western hemisphere, particularly New York City, but that is not how they have been presented in the shop at 20 Rue du Pont aux Choux. It is a way of being and clothing oneself, and one that has been made accessible to consumers - not dangled at ridiculous prices and placed on shelves high out of reach, with price tags available on request. No. That is not what Gaijin is about. The store’s ethos is one of fairness, education, and openness. You don’t have to know Japanese fashion to shop there - because that is why one goes to 20 Rue du Pont au Choux - to learn, to experience, to be influenced and to influence others.
The store is the brainchild of Thomas Robert. He himself is a mix of Margiela and Saccai, with frosted tips and probably a great collection of obscure sneakers. While I move around the store compiling looks from easily recognizable brands, he follows me pulling pieces from designers completely unknown to me, creating outfits that merge the traditional, the vintage, and a flair unique to the newer generations.
How do you aim to make Japanese designers and fashion more accessible or closer to people who walk into your store? Is it important to attract those who are "outsiders" to this style of clothing?
Since the departure and creation of Gaijin Paris in 2018, our approach has been centered around sharing. Sharing our passion with any curious person is something fundamental for us. It's a pleasure. Few people can boast of having a passion for a job. Thus, our approach is relatively democratic, in the vision as well as in the prices. We don't want to make our curation unapproachable.
As a designer and consumer, how much is your own aesthetic influenced by traditional (or non-traditional) Japanese clothing? Or is it something you have a great appreciation for but doesn't fit into your sartorial area.
We are not designers, since we only make a selection/curation of vintage and second-hand pieces from Japanese designers. However, our passion leads us to have an appetite for the development of a small, unisex line, inspired by all the nuggets that we have in our hands every day. She may see the light of day soon. It must correspond to our values and follow a reasoned production process that respects the environment.
Our personal aesthetic is necessarily very influenced by Japanese designers, themselves very influenced by the history of clothing in the archipelago, by the force of things. We only offer, at Gaijin Paris, pieces that we deeply love, only things that we would wear or would like to see worn. We therefore wear a lot of pieces by Japanese designers every day, which does not prevent us from wearing pieces by other avant-garde or non-avant-garde designers, forgotten French designers such as Marithé François Girbaud or Taverniti, brands of friends in the same spirit as us (Norwegian Rain/T Michael Bergen for example), even vintage work pieces, from the army, or others, of very good quality. Everything is in the volumes, the proportions, the textures, the overlays, associations. The silhouette is composed like that with us, by antiquing and with a taste for beautiful things.
What do you think is the cause of the growing popularity of these designers and therefore a greater need for vintage/thrift clothing stores to carry a greater supply?
Interest is growing in the West in general for Japan, and more specifically for its creators. For us, it's dated, and if we had the idea of creating Gaijin Paris, it's also because we couldn't find what we wanted in Paris, while hunting around. We have become a reference and a rallying point for people like us, for people in the fashion/luxury business, for curious people and many more.
We think it is the growing mutual openness (or reopening, because the interest has always existed, see the Japanese movement in art for example) of Japanese designers to the West and Westerners to a more varied fashion who are responsible for the growing demand for Japanese fashion in the market. Many Japanese have long limited themselves to their own domestic market (beyond the great masters who have been exported for a long time). Many Westerners have long believed that Europe is the epicenter of fashion. This is not the case, and mentalities are changing at breakneck speed.
What elements would you like to see come out of design and fashion houses today that are currently lacking?
A return to a real perfect finish, on which the Japanese are intransigent. Not all Western houses are as attentive to it today.
A lot of interesting silhouettes are being developed right now. For example, Hed Mayner does a very nice job in the structure and the exaggeration of forms. Louis Rubi too, would benefit from being better known with his drapes, his fluid volumes. Some manage to develop very recognizable silhouettes, like them. Rather than following trends and focusing on what works or has already proven itself, we believe that some designers should focus on developing a real identity, through the silhouette.
The Japanese have always focused on this, whatever the fashions, developing their own vision. Cf Kenzo Takada (fluidity and colors), Issey Miyake (architectural and geometric constructions), later Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto (with their avant garde deconstructivist vision, when fashion was all about body con and structure), ecc.
The most beautiful thing a designer can do is create pieces that are recognizable at first glance by connoisseurs, without a logo.
As a relatively new store, how does Gaijin focus its efforts on the environment and sustainability?
With us, it's simple. The ecological impact is almost nil, producing nothing. We just have some (group) transport for parts. Even the furniture in the shop is either vintage or recycled.
No need to communicate on it, as many brands do today, to "buy a good conscience". We are inherently sustainable.
What do you think of second-hand clothing websites where the consumer chooses the piece without trying it on or feeling the material?
These are very interesting tools, but they require a good knowledge of the garment. It is more difficult without trying or touching, feeling. So it's not exactly for everyone.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Gaijin Paris: A store established in making Japanese vintage accessible and the marrying of French culture
November 15, 2022
FASHION & BEAUTY
Images by: Pierre Bailey
Article/Interview by: Camille Bavera
Paris. Tourists flock to the city every year for light, love, and the Louvre. French-hopefuls come to town all year-round, but the streets are especially packed in the summer. After seeing their friends' Instagram vacation pictures and reels, they give it a try of their own - how could they not? French FoMo and all.
Then there’s the (dare I say) fashion that goes with these influencer-type (or otherwise) trips: pink, lace, frills, poplin dresses, blue-and-white gingham, all black ala Audrey, etc. The brands you think of are not Comme, but Chanel. Not Schiaparelli, but Sandro. Like it or not, Paris has a surface-level aesthetic facade it’s expected to maintain. After all, a walk down the Rue de Saint-Honore means passing every couture house known to man and omits the feeling that you truly are in the happiest if not the bougiest place on earth.
That’s the thing about French fashion though - its culturally multifaceted resiliency. The streets are windy, and if you turn enough you may find yourself in the 3rd where vintage stores of every specialty are tucked away beneath the cream buildings with little balconies and colonial blue roofs. There’s the numerous Kilos and the Emmaus where you can hope to find quantity if not quality. You can dig and dig through the mountains of old t-shirts and gently used lingerie until you have a sizable pile, and quickly come to the conclusion that a kilo is a lot less than you thought it would be.
But heading east past Monsieur Pompidou, and you enter a different reality. One of curation, of designer pieces and those by unknown or forgotten labels, but all are chosen for their respective stores for a specific purpose. Because vintage, in Paris, is much more of a force than any city previously encountered.
It’s because of the history, no? So much of what we know today to be ‘fashion’ or ‘trendy’ started in France, and quite a lot of it stayed there too. Kim K in Balenciaga? Not the couturier and gown-making establishment it once was, certainly not the same muses either, but it’s French. Much like the twists and turns found in the city’s planning - make enough of them yourself and you’ll find that fashion has and will be, unequivocally, French. And in this case, Japanese as well.
Gaijin Paris
20 Rue du Pont au Choux, 75003 Paris, France
This store was undoubtedly a treat. Even though we arrived unannounced, the team at Gaijin Paris were the most welcoming they could be and the pride they carried for their beautifully curated range of Japanese clothing was evident. Avante-garde fashions by well-known Japanese designers have become quite the rage in the western hemisphere, particularly New York City, but that is not how they have been presented in the shop at 20 Rue du Pont aux Choux. It is a way of being and clothing oneself, and one that has been made accessible to consumers - not dangled at ridiculous prices and placed on shelves high out of reach, with price tags available on request. No. That is not what Gaijin is about. The store’s ethos is one of fairness, education, and openness. You don’t have to know Japanese fashion to shop there - because that is why one goes to 20 Rue du Pont au Choux - to learn, to experience, to be influenced and to influence others.
The store is the brainchild of Thomas Robert. He himself is a mix of Margiela and Saccai, with frosted tips and probably a great collection of obscure sneakers. While I move around the store compiling looks from easily recognizable brands, he follows me pulling pieces from designers completely unknown to me, creating outfits that merge the traditional, the vintage, and a flair unique to the newer generations.
How do you aim to make Japanese designers and fashion more accessible or closer to people who walk into your store? Is it important to attract those who are "outsiders" to this style of clothing?
Since the departure and creation of Gaijin Paris in 2018, our approach has been centered around sharing. Sharing our passion with any curious person is something fundamental for us. It's a pleasure. Few people can boast of having a passion for a job. Thus, our approach is relatively democratic, in the vision as well as in the prices. We don't want to make our curation unapproachable.
As a designer and consumer, how much is your own aesthetic influenced by traditional (or non-traditional) Japanese clothing? Or is it something you have a great appreciation for but doesn't fit into your sartorial area.
We are not designers, since we only make a selection/curation of vintage and second-hand pieces from Japanese designers. However, our passion leads us to have an appetite for the development of a small, unisex line, inspired by all the nuggets that we have in our hands every day. She may see the light of day soon. It must correspond to our values and follow a reasoned production process that respects the environment.
Our personal aesthetic is necessarily very influenced by Japanese designers, themselves very influenced by the history of clothing in the archipelago, by the force of things. We only offer, at Gaijin Paris, pieces that we deeply love, only things that we would wear or would like to see worn. We therefore wear a lot of pieces by Japanese designers every day, which does not prevent us from wearing pieces by other avant-garde or non-avant-garde designers, forgotten French designers such as Marithé François Girbaud or Taverniti, brands of friends in the same spirit as us (Norwegian Rain/T Michael Bergen for example), even vintage work pieces, from the army, or others, of very good quality. Everything is in the volumes, the proportions, the textures, the overlays, associations. The silhouette is composed like that with us, by antiquing and with a taste for beautiful things.
What do you think is the cause of the growing popularity of these designers and therefore a greater need for vintage/thrift clothing stores to carry a greater supply?
Interest is growing in the West in general for Japan, and more specifically for its creators. For us, it's dated, and if we had the idea of creating Gaijin Paris, it's also because we couldn't find what we wanted in Paris, while hunting around. We have become a reference and a rallying point for people like us, for people in the fashion/luxury business, for curious people and many more.
We think it is the growing mutual openness (or reopening, because the interest has always existed, see the Japanese movement in art for example) of Japanese designers to the West and Westerners to a more varied fashion who are responsible for the growing demand for Japanese fashion in the market. Many Japanese have long limited themselves to their own domestic market (beyond the great masters who have been exported for a long time). Many Westerners have long believed that Europe is the epicenter of fashion. This is not the case, and mentalities are changing at breakneck speed.
What elements would you like to see come out of design and fashion houses today that are currently lacking?
A return to a real perfect finish, on which the Japanese are intransigent. Not all Western houses are as attentive to it today.
A lot of interesting silhouettes are being developed right now. For example, Hed Mayner does a very nice job in the structure and the exaggeration of forms. Louis Rubi too, would benefit from being better known with his drapes, his fluid volumes. Some manage to develop very recognizable silhouettes, like them. Rather than following trends and focusing on what works or has already proven itself, we believe that some designers should focus on developing a real identity, through the silhouette.
The Japanese have always focused on this, whatever the fashions, developing their own vision. Cf Kenzo Takada (fluidity and colors), Issey Miyake (architectural and geometric constructions), later Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto (with their avant garde deconstructivist vision, when fashion was all about body con and structure), ecc.
The most beautiful thing a designer can do is create pieces that are recognizable at first glance by connoisseurs, without a logo.
As a relatively new store, how does Gaijin focus its efforts on the environment and sustainability?
With us, it's simple. The ecological impact is almost nil, producing nothing. We just have some (group) transport for parts. Even the furniture in the shop is either vintage or recycled.
No need to communicate on it, as many brands do today, to "buy a good conscience". We are inherently sustainable.
What do you think of second-hand clothing websites where the consumer chooses the piece without trying it on or feeling the material?
These are very interesting tools, but they require a good knowledge of the garment. It is more difficult without trying or touching, feeling. So it's not exactly for everyone.
Which new or relatively unknown Japanese labels are you excited to see take off?
We had the opportunity to come across quite a few Japanese labels during our travels to hunt around. The ones we would like to see take off are countless. But sometimes, the very charm of a creation is that it remains niche and not physically accessible, because it is produced very little.
In the already little known houses that speak to us a lot and which remain almost unknown in the West, we could mention Facetasm, genderfluid creations, very varied, which often merge the idea of sportswear with more "couture" and dressy elements.
In the young and less luxury brands, but still high-end, we also really like the silhouette of My Beautiful Landlet, still not widely distributed, very oversized and significant to a part of Japanese fashion. That of Cloud Lobby too, which we welcomed as a pop-up at home and of which the Japanese creator is a friend.
Would you consider Paris the epicenter of vintage shopping? Or at least a most varied city?
Paris has undoubtedly evolved a lot in recent decades, with ever more targeted and sometimes cutting-edge concepts in this area. But Tokyo is and will remain a paradise for bargain hunters of all kinds.
Did you have a specific clientele in mind when you opened Gaijin?
By launching Gaijin Paris, we thought we were addressing a relatively targeted clientele, quite similar to us, in terms of generation and profile. Our customer base is actually much larger.
From 18 to 80 years old(Sometimes the prettiest silhouettes that come into the shop are early fans of Yohji and Like, for example, who've been wearing them since the '80s, which gives an idea of their age).
- Vintage and archive collectors of course
- Fahionistas (in a good way)
- Japanese designers fans (sometimes over 70 y/o)
- Some japanese culture lovers
- Curious people, in search of high quality, refined clothing
- Stylists
- Costumers for movies and shows.
- Studios of fashion houses, for research, which is a secret everybody is aware of, when you are a shop with a curated selection.
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Gaijin Paris: A store established in making Japanese vintage accessible and the marrying of French culture
FASHION & BEAUTY
October 11, 2023
Paris. Tourists flock to the city every year for light, love, and the Louvre. French-hopefuls come to town all year-round, but the streets are especially packed in the summer. After seeing their friends' Instagram vacation pictures and reels, they give it a try of their own - how could they not? French FoMo and all.
Then there’s the (dare I say) fashion that goes with these influencer-type (or otherwise) trips: pink, lace, frills, poplin dresses, blue-and-white gingham, all black ala Audrey, etc. The brands you think of are not Comme, but Chanel. Not Schiaparelli, but Sandro. Like it or not, Paris has a surface-level aesthetic facade it’s expected to maintain. After all, a walk down the Rue de Saint-Honore means passing every couture house known to man and omits the feeling that you truly are in the happiest if not the bougiest place on earth.
That’s the thing about French fashion though - its culturally multifaceted resiliency. The streets are windy, and if you turn enough you may find yourself in the 3rd where vintage stores of every specialty are tucked away beneath the cream buildings with little balconies and colonial blue roofs. There’s the numerous Kilos and the Emmaus where you can hope to find quantity if not quality. You can dig and dig through the mountains of old t-shirts and gently used lingerie until you have a sizable pile, and quickly come to the conclusion that a kilo is a lot less than you thought it would be.
But heading east past Monsieur Pompidou, and you enter a different reality. One of curation, of designer pieces and those by unknown or forgotten labels, but all are chosen for their respective stores for a specific purpose. Because vintage, in Paris, is much more of a force than any city previously encountered.
It’s because of the history, no? So much of what we know today to be ‘fashion’ or ‘trendy’ started in France, and quite a lot of it stayed there too. Kim K in Balenciaga? Not the couturier and gown-making establishment it once was, certainly not the same muses either, but it’s French. Much like the twists and turns found in the city’s planning - make enough of them yourself and you’ll find that fashion has and will be, unequivocally, French. And in this case, Japanese as well.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Gaijin Paris: A store established in making Japanese vintage accessible and the marrying of French culture
November 15, 2022
Images by: Pierre Bailey
Article/Interview by: Camille Bavera
Paris. Tourists flock to the city every year for light, love, and the Louvre. French-hopefuls come to town all year-round, but the streets are especially packed in the summer. After seeing their friends' Instagram vacation pictures and reels, they give it a try of their own - how could they not? French FoMo and all.
Then there’s the (dare I say) fashion that goes with these influencer-type (or otherwise) trips: pink, lace, frills, poplin dresses, blue-and-white gingham, all black ala Audrey, etc. The brands you think of are not Comme, but Chanel. Not Schiaparelli, but Sandro. Like it or not, Paris has a surface-level aesthetic facade it’s expected to maintain. After all, a walk down the Rue de Saint-Honore means passing every couture house known to man and omits the feeling that you truly are in the happiest if not the bougiest place on earth.
That’s the thing about French fashion though - its culturally multifaceted resiliency. The streets are windy, and if you turn enough you may find yourself in the 3rd where vintage stores of every specialty are tucked away beneath the cream buildings with little balconies and colonial blue roofs. There’s the numerous Kilos and the Emmaus where you can hope to find quantity if not quality. You can dig and dig through the mountains of old t-shirts and gently used lingerie until you have a sizable pile, and quickly come to the conclusion that a kilo is a lot less than you thought it would be.
But heading east past Monsieur Pompidou, and you enter a different reality. One of curation, of designer pieces and those by unknown or forgotten labels, but all are chosen for their respective stores for a specific purpose. Because vintage, in Paris, is much more of a force than any city previously encountered.
It’s because of the history, no? So much of what we know today to be ‘fashion’ or ‘trendy’ started in France, and quite a lot of it stayed there too. Kim K in Balenciaga? Not the couturier and gown-making establishment it once was, certainly not the same muses either, but it’s French. Much like the twists and turns found in the city’s planning - make enough of them yourself and you’ll find that fashion has and will be, unequivocally, French. And in this case, Japanese as well.
Gaijin Paris
20 Rue du Pont au Choux, 75003 Paris, France
This store was undoubtedly a treat. Even though we arrived unannounced, the team at Gaijin Paris were the most welcoming they could be and the pride they carried for their beautifully curated range of Japanese clothing was evident. Avante-garde fashions by well-known Japanese designers have become quite the rage in the western hemisphere, particularly New York City, but that is not how they have been presented in the shop at 20 Rue du Pont aux Choux. It is a way of being and clothing oneself, and one that has been made accessible to consumers - not dangled at ridiculous prices and placed on shelves high out of reach, with price tags available on request. No. That is not what Gaijin is about. The store’s ethos is one of fairness, education, and openness. You don’t have to know Japanese fashion to shop there - because that is why one goes to 20 Rue du Pont au Choux - to learn, to experience, to be influenced and to influence others.
The store is the brainchild of Thomas Robert. He himself is a mix of Margiela and Saccai, with frosted tips and probably a great collection of obscure sneakers. While I move around the store compiling looks from easily recognizable brands, he follows me pulling pieces from designers completely unknown to me, creating outfits that merge the traditional, the vintage, and a flair unique to the newer generations.
How do you aim to make Japanese designers and fashion more accessible or closer to people who walk into your store? Is it important to attract those who are "outsiders" to this style of clothing?
Since the departure and creation of Gaijin Paris in 2018, our approach has been centered around sharing. Sharing our passion with any curious person is something fundamental for us. It's a pleasure. Few people can boast of having a passion for a job. Thus, our approach is relatively democratic, in the vision as well as in the prices. We don't want to make our curation unapproachable.
As a designer and consumer, how much is your own aesthetic influenced by traditional (or non-traditional) Japanese clothing? Or is it something you have a great appreciation for but doesn't fit into your sartorial area.
We are not designers, since we only make a selection/curation of vintage and second-hand pieces from Japanese designers. However, our passion leads us to have an appetite for the development of a small, unisex line, inspired by all the nuggets that we have in our hands every day. She may see the light of day soon. It must correspond to our values and follow a reasoned production process that respects the environment.
Our personal aesthetic is necessarily very influenced by Japanese designers, themselves very influenced by the history of clothing in the archipelago, by the force of things. We only offer, at Gaijin Paris, pieces that we deeply love, only things that we would wear or would like to see worn. We therefore wear a lot of pieces by Japanese designers every day, which does not prevent us from wearing pieces by other avant-garde or non-avant-garde designers, forgotten French designers such as Marithé François Girbaud or Taverniti, brands of friends in the same spirit as us (Norwegian Rain/T Michael Bergen for example), even vintage work pieces, from the army, or others, of very good quality. Everything is in the volumes, the proportions, the textures, the overlays, associations. The silhouette is composed like that with us, by antiquing and with a taste for beautiful things.
What do you think is the cause of the growing popularity of these designers and therefore a greater need for vintage/thrift clothing stores to carry a greater supply?
Interest is growing in the West in general for Japan, and more specifically for its creators. For us, it's dated, and if we had the idea of creating Gaijin Paris, it's also because we couldn't find what we wanted in Paris, while hunting around. We have become a reference and a rallying point for people like us, for people in the fashion/luxury business, for curious people and many more.
We think it is the growing mutual openness (or reopening, because the interest has always existed, see the Japanese movement in art for example) of Japanese designers to the West and Westerners to a more varied fashion who are responsible for the growing demand for Japanese fashion in the market. Many Japanese have long limited themselves to their own domestic market (beyond the great masters who have been exported for a long time). Many Westerners have long believed that Europe is the epicenter of fashion. This is not the case, and mentalities are changing at breakneck speed.
What elements would you like to see come out of design and fashion houses today that are currently lacking?
A return to a real perfect finish, on which the Japanese are intransigent. Not all Western houses are as attentive to it today.
A lot of interesting silhouettes are being developed right now. For example, Hed Mayner does a very nice job in the structure and the exaggeration of forms. Louis Rubi too, would benefit from being better known with his drapes, his fluid volumes. Some manage to develop very recognizable silhouettes, like them. Rather than following trends and focusing on what works or has already proven itself, we believe that some designers should focus on developing a real identity, through the silhouette.
The Japanese have always focused on this, whatever the fashions, developing their own vision. Cf Kenzo Takada (fluidity and colors), Issey Miyake (architectural and geometric constructions), later Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto (with their avant garde deconstructivist vision, when fashion was all about body con and structure), ecc.
The most beautiful thing a designer can do is create pieces that are recognizable at first glance by connoisseurs, without a logo.
As a relatively new store, how does Gaijin focus its efforts on the environment and sustainability?
With us, it's simple. The ecological impact is almost nil, producing nothing. We just have some (group) transport for parts. Even the furniture in the shop is either vintage or recycled.
No need to communicate on it, as many brands do today, to "buy a good conscience". We are inherently sustainable.
What do you think of second-hand clothing websites where the consumer chooses the piece without trying it on or feeling the material?
These are very interesting tools, but they require a good knowledge of the garment. It is more difficult without trying or touching, feeling. So it's not exactly for everyone.
Which new or relatively unknown Japanese labels are you excited to see take off?
We had the opportunity to come across quite a few Japanese labels during our travels to hunt around. The ones we would like to see take off are countless. But sometimes, the very charm of a creation is that it remains niche and not physically accessible, because it is produced very little.
In the already little known houses that speak to us a lot and which remain almost unknown in the West, we could mention Facetasm, genderfluid creations, very varied, which often merge the idea of sportswear with more "couture" and dressy elements.
In the young and less luxury brands, but still high-end, we also really like the silhouette of My Beautiful Landlet, still not widely distributed, very oversized and significant to a part of Japanese fashion. That of Cloud Lobby too, which we welcomed as a pop-up at home and of which the Japanese creator is a friend.
Would you consider Paris the epicenter of vintage shopping? Or at least a most varied city?
Paris has undoubtedly evolved a lot in recent decades, with ever more targeted and sometimes cutting-edge concepts in this area. But Tokyo is and will remain a paradise for bargain hunters of all kinds.
Did you have a specific clientele in mind when you opened Gaijin?
By launching Gaijin Paris, we thought we were addressing a relatively targeted clientele, quite similar to us, in terms of generation and profile. Our customer base is actually much larger.
From 18 to 80 years old(Sometimes the prettiest silhouettes that come into the shop are early fans of Yohji and Like, for example, who've been wearing them since the '80s, which gives an idea of their age).
- Vintage and archive collectors of course
- Fahionistas (in a good way)
- Japanese designers fans (sometimes over 70 y/o)
- Some japanese culture lovers
- Curious people, in search of high quality, refined clothing
- Stylists
- Costumers for movies and shows.
- Studios of fashion houses, for research, which is a secret everybody is aware of, when you are a shop with a curated selection.
Gaijin Paris: A store established in making Japanese vintage accessible and the marrying of French culture
October 11, 2023
FASHION & BEAUTY
Images by: Pierre Bailey
Article/Interview by: Camille Bavera
Paris. Tourists flock to the city every year for light, love, and the Louvre. French-hopefuls come to town all year-round, but the streets are especially packed in the summer. After seeing their friends' Instagram vacation pictures and reels, they give it a try of their own - how could they not? French FoMo and all.
Then there’s the (dare I say) fashion that goes with these influencer-type (or otherwise) trips: pink, lace, frills, poplin dresses, blue-and-white gingham, all black ala Audrey, etc. The brands you think of are not Comme, but Chanel. Not Schiaparelli, but Sandro. Like it or not, Paris has a surface-level aesthetic facade it’s expected to maintain. After all, a walk down the Rue de Saint-Honore means passing every couture house known to man and omits the feeling that you truly are in the happiest if not the bougiest place on earth.
That’s the thing about French fashion though - its culturally multifaceted resiliency. The streets are windy, and if you turn enough you may find yourself in the 3rd where vintage stores of every specialty are tucked away beneath the cream buildings with little balconies and colonial blue roofs. There’s the numerous Kilos and the Emmaus where you can hope to find quantity if not quality. You can dig and dig through the mountains of old t-shirts and gently used lingerie until you have a sizable pile, and quickly come to the conclusion that a kilo is a lot less than you thought it would be.
But heading east past Monsieur Pompidou, and you enter a different reality. One of curation, of designer pieces and those by unknown or forgotten labels, but all are chosen for their respective stores for a specific purpose. Because vintage, in Paris, is much more of a force than any city previously encountered.
It’s because of the history, no? So much of what we know today to be ‘fashion’ or ‘trendy’ started in France, and quite a lot of it stayed there too. Kim K in Balenciaga? Not the couturier and gown-making establishment it once was, certainly not the same muses either, but it’s French. Much like the twists and turns found in the city’s planning - make enough of them yourself and you’ll find that fashion has and will be, unequivocally, French. And in this case, Japanese as well.
Gaijin Paris
20 Rue du Pont au Choux, 75003 Paris, France
This store was undoubtedly a treat. Even though we arrived unannounced, the team at Gaijin Paris were the most welcoming they could be and the pride they carried for their beautifully curated range of Japanese clothing was evident. Avante-garde fashions by well-known Japanese designers have become quite the rage in the western hemisphere, particularly New York City, but that is not how they have been presented in the shop at 20 Rue du Pont aux Choux. It is a way of being and clothing oneself, and one that has been made accessible to consumers - not dangled at ridiculous prices and placed on shelves high out of reach, with price tags available on request. No. That is not what Gaijin is about. The store’s ethos is one of fairness, education, and openness. You don’t have to know Japanese fashion to shop there - because that is why one goes to 20 Rue du Pont au Choux - to learn, to experience, to be influenced and to influence others.
The store is the brainchild of Thomas Robert. He himself is a mix of Margiela and Saccai, with frosted tips and probably a great collection of obscure sneakers. While I move around the store compiling looks from easily recognizable brands, he follows me pulling pieces from designers completely unknown to me, creating outfits that merge the traditional, the vintage, and a flair unique to the newer generations.
How do you aim to make Japanese designers and fashion more accessible or closer to people who walk into your store? Is it important to attract those who are "outsiders" to this style of clothing?
Since the departure and creation of Gaijin Paris in 2018, our approach has been centered around sharing. Sharing our passion with any curious person is something fundamental for us. It's a pleasure. Few people can boast of having a passion for a job. Thus, our approach is relatively democratic, in the vision as well as in the prices. We don't want to make our curation unapproachable.
As a designer and consumer, how much is your own aesthetic influenced by traditional (or non-traditional) Japanese clothing? Or is it something you have a great appreciation for but doesn't fit into your sartorial area.
We are not designers, since we only make a selection/curation of vintage and second-hand pieces from Japanese designers. However, our passion leads us to have an appetite for the development of a small, unisex line, inspired by all the nuggets that we have in our hands every day. She may see the light of day soon. It must correspond to our values and follow a reasoned production process that respects the environment.
Our personal aesthetic is necessarily very influenced by Japanese designers, themselves very influenced by the history of clothing in the archipelago, by the force of things. We only offer, at Gaijin Paris, pieces that we deeply love, only things that we would wear or would like to see worn. We therefore wear a lot of pieces by Japanese designers every day, which does not prevent us from wearing pieces by other avant-garde or non-avant-garde designers, forgotten French designers such as Marithé François Girbaud or Taverniti, brands of friends in the same spirit as us (Norwegian Rain/T Michael Bergen for example), even vintage work pieces, from the army, or others, of very good quality. Everything is in the volumes, the proportions, the textures, the overlays, associations. The silhouette is composed like that with us, by antiquing and with a taste for beautiful things.
What do you think is the cause of the growing popularity of these designers and therefore a greater need for vintage/thrift clothing stores to carry a greater supply?
Interest is growing in the West in general for Japan, and more specifically for its creators. For us, it's dated, and if we had the idea of creating Gaijin Paris, it's also because we couldn't find what we wanted in Paris, while hunting around. We have become a reference and a rallying point for people like us, for people in the fashion/luxury business, for curious people and many more.
We think it is the growing mutual openness (or reopening, because the interest has always existed, see the Japanese movement in art for example) of Japanese designers to the West and Westerners to a more varied fashion who are responsible for the growing demand for Japanese fashion in the market. Many Japanese have long limited themselves to their own domestic market (beyond the great masters who have been exported for a long time). Many Westerners have long believed that Europe is the epicenter of fashion. This is not the case, and mentalities are changing at breakneck speed.
What elements would you like to see come out of design and fashion houses today that are currently lacking?
A return to a real perfect finish, on which the Japanese are intransigent. Not all Western houses are as attentive to it today.
A lot of interesting silhouettes are being developed right now. For example, Hed Mayner does a very nice job in the structure and the exaggeration of forms. Louis Rubi too, would benefit from being better known with his drapes, his fluid volumes. Some manage to develop very recognizable silhouettes, like them. Rather than following trends and focusing on what works or has already proven itself, we believe that some designers should focus on developing a real identity, through the silhouette.
The Japanese have always focused on this, whatever the fashions, developing their own vision. Cf Kenzo Takada (fluidity and colors), Issey Miyake (architectural and geometric constructions), later Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto (with their avant garde deconstructivist vision, when fashion was all about body con and structure), ecc.
The most beautiful thing a designer can do is create pieces that are recognizable at first glance by connoisseurs, without a logo.
As a relatively new store, how does Gaijin focus its efforts on the environment and sustainability?
With us, it's simple. The ecological impact is almost nil, producing nothing. We just have some (group) transport for parts. Even the furniture in the shop is either vintage or recycled.
No need to communicate on it, as many brands do today, to "buy a good conscience". We are inherently sustainable.
What do you think of second-hand clothing websites where the consumer chooses the piece without trying it on or feeling the material?
These are very interesting tools, but they require a good knowledge of the garment. It is more difficult without trying or touching, feeling. So it's not exactly for everyone.
Which new or relatively unknown Japanese labels are you excited to see take off?
We had the opportunity to come across quite a few Japanese labels during our travels to hunt around. The ones we would like to see take off are countless. But sometimes, the very charm of a creation is that it remains niche and not physically accessible, because it is produced very little.
In the already little known houses that speak to us a lot and which remain almost unknown in the West, we could mention Facetasm, genderfluid creations, very varied, which often merge the idea of sportswear with more "couture" and dressy elements.
In the young and less luxury brands, but still high-end, we also really like the silhouette of My Beautiful Landlet, still not widely distributed, very oversized and significant to a part of Japanese fashion. That of Cloud Lobby too, which we welcomed as a pop-up at home and of which the Japanese creator is a friend.
Would you consider Paris the epicenter of vintage shopping? Or at least a most varied city?
Paris has undoubtedly evolved a lot in recent decades, with ever more targeted and sometimes cutting-edge concepts in this area. But Tokyo is and will remain a paradise for bargain hunters of all kinds.
Did you have a specific clientele in mind when you opened Gaijin?
By launching Gaijin Paris, we thought we were addressing a relatively targeted clientele, quite similar to us, in terms of generation and profile. Our customer base is actually much larger.
From 18 to 80 years old(Sometimes the prettiest silhouettes that come into the shop are early fans of Yohji and Like, for example, who've been wearing them since the '80s, which gives an idea of their age).
- Vintage and archive collectors of course
- Fahionistas (in a good way)
- Japanese designers fans (sometimes over 70 y/o)
- Some japanese culture lovers
- Curious people, in search of high quality, refined clothing
- Stylists
- Costumers for movies and shows.
- Studios of fashion houses, for research, which is a secret everybody is aware of, when you are a shop with a curated selection.
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