I recently had an art exhibition in Tokyo. Last week, I wrote about some of the artist friends I caught up with (as well as some new friends I made). Here are some more characters I met:
Adrian Hogan is a popular illustrator whose work has been featured in all the coolest Japanese magazines: Popeye, Ginza, Brutus. He’s even modeled for Hypebeast.
On most days, Adrian dresses for sketching in the city. He wears a backpack to carry his art supplies, lightweight jacket in case of showers, sunglasses for when it gets too bright, and comfortable shoes. By sheer coincidence, Adrian also had an exhibition on in Tokyo last week, featuring artwork based around his everyday life, as well as things and places that are important to him.
This is Onishi Shinpei, an illustrator, art director, and all around cool guy who shares a space with Adrian (and fifty other artists) at the Midori So studio in Naka Meguro. On the day I saw him, Shinpei wore a collarless shirt over a tee and shorts. The top is a nice way to layer this time of year, when you might need something for a cooler evening, but don’t want to carry around a jacket in the afternoon.
Midway through the week, I attended a party and was introduced to Catherine, a graphic designer at Simplicity. I thought her style was really well put together. Whereas a lot of the guests had gone for flashy dresses or accessories, Catherine kept it simple with plain black pants, pumps, and a simple blouse. I’m always a fan of less-is-more looks.
I also met Stacey at the party, who works as a writer for various magazines. Like Catherine above, Stacey is a nice example of how low-key combinations can sometimes make a much more impactful statement. She wore a simple sleeveless shirt, loose white pants, and a black/ white Freitag backpack. The black/ white combination felt very chic.
Another well-dressed guest: this guy in in a silky black hat, cut-off jeans with frayed hems, and a traditional Japanese jinbei (a simple hemp shirt worn by monks when they clean temples). I love how he incorporated a traditional piece of Japanese clothing with denim and sneakers. The outfit felt so seamless that I didn’t even notice it until about halfway into our conversation.
On the final day of my trip, it was raining and I caught up with my friend Natsuko Oshima, an artist specializing in custom-made stamps. We met in the Ginza area of Tokyo, which is famous for its luxury shops and high-end fashion. Natsuko wore a simple denim shirt, loose pants, and pretty shoes. To deal with the rain, we both opted for simple umbrellas from a convenience store, rather than splurge on something that could be lost that afternoon. There’s something great about having a simple, well-made item that does its job and matches whatever it’s paired with!
