New York-based photographer Thomas C. Card turns the camera on some of the most fashionable and fierce females in Tokyo. In the spring of 2012, Card traveled to Tokyo to document the city’s vibrant street fashion scene. Started in the early 1990s, Japanese fashion tribes sprung up as young people, particularly women, began to rebel against traditional Japanese culture. Instead of taking photos of these women on Tokyo’s busy streets, like in the famous district of Harajuku, he brought his subjects indoors – into a more quiet and intimate environment, his studio.
These fascinating photos have all been assembled into one book called Tokyo Adorned, which was released just ten days ago. Comprised of 132 striking color photographs, Tokyo Adorned is an oversized 12.5 by 15 inch hardcover book that gives us a window into one highly creative world. Set against an all white backdrop, the women and their complicated outfits, with their loud colors and crazy patterns, seem to pop off the page.
As the book states, “The neon, pastels, bows, and vibrant prints of Tokyo’s fashion tribes are unmistakable, outrageous, and fun. Recognized around the world, with huge online followings, the city’s style icons are photographed here against white backgrounds, revealing a new dimension of personality and emotion in these remarkable individuals. Portraits include fashion icon Kumamiki–the vision behind the Party Baby movement and clothing brand–who has a growing global online following, as well as personalities such as Chocomelo, Saki Kurumi, and Haruka Kurebayashi.”
