Born and raised in Tokyo, Izumi Ogino founded Anteprima  in 1993 in Milan and made her debut at Milan Fashion Week five years later as the first-ever Japanese female designer. In 1998 she conceived Anteprima’s iconic creation — the Wirebag, which grew out of Izumi’s passion for knitting. A granny-like hobby fruited in baby-style accessories. The hand-knitted method Izumi created twists in the material in a way that causes light to reflect, giving a blinding shine. We’ve heard that all Anteprima boutiques are strategically located in places with large windows and direct access to sunlight so the sun can stream through the large, windowed facades, causing the Wirebags in the display to sparkle and blind the onlookers. Izumi says, “I think many people are looking for light in today’s dark world.” Oh well… there might be better sources of light, and the darkness is often inevitable, but still Anteprima remains the cutest brand in the world. 

Akira Onozuka, founder of Zucca, learned his skills at Miyake Design Studios in Tokyo and Paris under the mentorship of Issey Miyake himself. The influence is evident but Onozuka’s designs are much calmer, more understated and funnier. What made us fall in love with the brand is the concept of their Zucca Travail line, inspired by work clothes, uniforms and sportswear, described as “workwear for the inactive.” It’s also a great watch brand (rare phenomenon), thanks to their longstanding collaboration with Seiko.

We are very interested in brands that have been around for hundreds of years and weren’t originally fashion. With all its complexities and, unfortunately, dark histories – Louis Vuitton is one of them. At first glance, it doesn’t seem to fit our selection — but the brand’s original purpose, box-making and crafting high-quality travel trunks, absolutely does. The LV flat trunk design was revolutionary back in the early 20th century because it was easily stackable in railway cars, making it ideal for the new era of rail and ocean travel. This durability was achieved thanks to wooden frames and waterproof canvas. Years later, Marc Jacobs handed over the same iconic canvas to collaborating artists who weirdly didn’t match the brand’s identity, creating an awkward but cool clash. We’re not going to cater to you with runway pieces here. Instead, we’ll focus on everything OG trunk-inspired (key locks, clasps, latches), brand ephemera, modest clothing, and rare accessories. 

Many of you are familiar with the Japanese love for all things French. Here is yet another brand with a French name which originated as a sub-label of the main line 5351 Pour Les Hommes. The lead designer for the women’s line is Rei Takahashi. He cites Yamamoto and Kawakubo as his role models, which is evident in his designs but they are stripped-down of big avant-garde gestures. To put it more precisely, the style of 5351 is a fusion of 1920s and 1930s with a rock-chick vibe set against the backdrop of a Parisian café in Tokyo.