Terry Ito Column Vol.39 Vans disappear from Aoyama Street

The legendary "VAN・KENT SHOP," located in Aoyama and considered the birthplace of Japanese IVY fashion, will be closing next March. I'd admired VAN since my student days, and even felt nervous about entering the store. At the time, the fashionable button-down shirts, navy blazers with emblems, stadium jackets, madras-check Bermuda shorts, and penny loafers worn by American IVY League students were a shock to young Japanese people, even more so than the arrival of the Black Ships. While VANSHOP's stadium jackets were everyday student wear in the United States, back when the exchange rate was 360 yen to the dollar, rent for a university student from the countryside cost 9,000 yen for a four-and-a-half-tatami room in the Waseda area, and the starting salary for a new employee was 18,000 yen. Even if we wanted them, they were simply out of reach for us students. So, I could only gaze upon their elaborately decorated windows from outside on Aoyama Street. Perhaps because of that admiration, even now, at my age, I still get nervous when I visit the store. It's a wonderful space that brings back memories from my youth.

This sacred place of youth will disappear next March. I asked the store manager, "We just can't attract young customers. The average customer age is over 55. Many customers over 70 are retired and living on pensions, so they refrain from buying new clothes." That's right. VAN fashion, which was hugely popular among young people at the time, has failed to attract new fans, and the brand itself has aged along with the fashionable elderly. This is a common story in the entertainment industry. They were youth stars when they debuted, but as they aged, the stars and their fans all became old people. When I went to Kazuo Funaki's concert the other day, Funaki himself joked about this phenomenon with the audience. However, regardless of the star, the brand has plenty of opportunities to recover. When it comes to traditional fashion, why not expand its target audience to younger women? Colorful windbreakers, yacht parkas, and red or beige duffle coats look better on chubby middle-aged men. A burgundy cool-neck sweater looks like a typical Sunday daddy's outfit when worn by a father, but sexy when worn loosely by a daughter. Clothes can be reborn depending on who wears them.

The Aoyama store will be closing, but it would be a shame to let it go like this. The VAN revival plan will definitely be launched in 2025. It doesn't matter if it's a small store, not in Aoyama, or a select shop. I hope they will keep in mind the spirit of founder Kensuke Ishizu, "Even if you don't have money, as long as you have creativity." I believe that one day it will become a brand that Generation Z aspires to.

Terry Ito (director)

Born in Tsukiji, Tokyo in 1949. After attending Waseda Jitsugyo Junior and Senior High School, he graduated from Nihon University's School of Economics.
In March 2023, he completed the Master's program at the Graduate School of Media and Governance at Keio University.
He joined the television production company IVS Television, where he worked on variety shows such as "Tensai Takeshi's Genki ga Deru TV" and "Neruton Benikujidan."
He then went independent and worked on planning and directing a number of television programs, including TV Tokyo's "Asakusabashi Young Clothing Store."
His book "Comedy North Korea" became a bestseller, and he subsequently made numerous media appearances under the name Terry Ito.
In addition to his work as a director, he is also active in a variety of fields as a producer, entertainer, and commentator.
YouTube channelTerry Ito's Comedy Backdrop'
Currently writing a column in LALALA USA
https://lalalausa.com/archives/category/column/terry