eXtravagant

I found the book "Fresh Fruits" at the art library of Indiana University in Bloomin(g)to(w)n, while I was searching for a book about the Japanese tradition of tattoos. Howsoever, this book has nothing to do about tattoos, but it was really interesting because it was my first approach to Harajuku culture and to street style. I had never had before an approach to this culture, had no idea about it and that such things existed in Tokyo; my face lighted up by this book. 


Photographer Soichi Aoki started working for the magazine Fruits on documenting the street style of Tokyo's district Harajuku. The work documented in this magazine has nothing to do with the Cosplay ( a hobby were people dress up like their favorite manga, anime and/or video game character) part of Harajuku culture, but in this book "Fresh Fruits" you might see some photos also concentrating on Cosplay. Fresh Fruits (2005) was the second book from Soichi Aoki after the publication of Fruits in 2001. 


In this book both the joy of dressing up and wearing what you feel (and even making a character and telling a story) are cherished! 

Note: These pics were taken from the photograph book "Fresh Fruits". I have scanned less than 25% of the whole book, so (hmmm I think...) no copyright laws were infringed!