Appreciating Friends: Inlaid with 90s Flavor | GINZA SIX

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Ryuta Morishita

GINZA SIX EDITORS Vol.102

The world is the 90s boom in front of the sky. Has even overstatement seen word such as "sports MIX of the 90s" somewhere in front of iyamaa, the sky, "we dress well by 90' s mood?" One of the things that it is said that fashion rotates, but wearing of the 90s represents the current scene. Well, speaking of drama representing the 90s, we are selected in "friends". This sparked true record-breaking big boom and, in the U.S. viewership ranking, seemed to always make the top 10 a year from season of beginning that started in 1994 to the last season in 2004.

The stage is New York. yuruku still struggles in friendship in romance six early such men and women of marriageable age who still must carry out duty as member of society in terms of age (we occasionally work) to call adult. We think that there is as reason of hit personally in "..." which there is which there is and place letting you sympathize in point dissolving for shit back and looseness which is relaxed, and is seen and moratorium-like desire and process when it is gradually to adult. Afterwards, you had to wait for appearance of drama "sexual intercourse and the city" before fashion came to attract audience.

However, and, there is. Anyway, we have a very cute fashion which character of friends dresses well. It is now very-like. 90' s of royal road. Of course it is result that this was, so to speak, brainwashed as one of the marketing of the whole fashion business that sees "friends" fashion like now, but is that relations. Cute thing is cute.

In this, introduction got longer, but is going to look for 90' s "friends" of torendodonzuba fashion this time in GINZA SIX.

At first, "rag & bone" (rag and Vaughn) of 3F where it is male of New York Collection that went. Like brand which began with denim, a shoulder and an elbow are good at casual wear not to put. It is rare brand which is urbane, and it seems that we dress stylishly though we do not put on airs that is just wears, and is digested, and can direct feeling. It went through stance so as to take in as spice for tide of big silhouette which was each brand right ninaraeno state and was really cool.

Not exaggeration, all of racks is now really-like in season. Besides, item harking back to Rachel that is main character of "friends" and wearing of Monica is prepared. It is cut-and-sew and knit of cropped length that cannot take off. Putting denim of high waist together to last-minute short length tops so that navel appears feeling (say, or is the 90s-like). If it is sen igakakatta blue wash, it is still effortless. Horizontal stripe knit (all 37,000 yen ※ lower than + tax price) which changed the upper part with bright blue draws healthy charm in compact silhouette.

Pants (28,000 yen) which look like damage jeans as for seeing suddenly, in fact, sweat shirt (!) . It is item which made full use of precise transcription print technique, but this creates good active feeling in now, too. We vomit, and feeling seems to be easy, too. You are Rachel if we put on mannish coat with a thud from the top.

A feeling of rough omission may fit boot-cut jeans (28,000 yen) which kept on cutting hem. Okay, "there is not affectation" comes which "power falls out" nicely if we make fashion of the 90s words. As a feeling of cause, comfort and relaxation of lifestyle that nu is normal was regarded as important, this thinks that the mood becomes more and more remarkable.

In neighboring men's floor, we pay attention to outer. MA-1 (75,000 yen) black in what we picked up without hesitation. Essentially military item reason, thing of round silhouette are mainstream, but silhouette tight moderately can wear this in shoulder which we assumed dust slightly clearly. We want to recommend "big silhouette got tired" to fashion to go to one step in particular. In fact, Marcus Wainwright of creative director is from the U.K. where tailored collar culture roots in. It can nod that slightly conservative Elegance drifts.

Work jacket (75,000 yen) of with collar boa is reversible specification of both A side. It is play ndemoyoshida with nylon of orange which it, too and assumed paki to show in navy people chicly.

By the same New York Collection connection next time to "HELMUT LANG" (Helmut Lang) of 4F. Originally we worked on Helmut Lang of designer in Europe, but we move base to New York in 1997 (right in the middle "friends" fever strangely) and announce "Helmut Lang jeans" which are second line in the same year. This Collection line was very cool. Unconventional approach to show minimal casual item. We think that we match baggy denim of the same color with jacket of ivory, and the source of one tone-style as street clothes which became natural may be right here in now while looking at past Collection look.

Current "Helmut Lang has a feeling of refined atmosphere common to those days, too". Thing to "look good as having mentioned above with the polish here though it is not formal." After all, Topps has many items of short length even if we look around the shop. We seem to push as brand this year when we hear from staff. Camisole (15,000 yen) of seamless jersey which we picked up can raise the mood that is lady easily if we repeat on turtleneck sweater and the shirt dress. After all, bottoms have a cute denim (54,000 yen) of blue wash.

In men's item, eye stays in gray leather blouson (130,000 yen). That is because this is because more than 70% of, appearance rate of leather blouson X knit X denim is given with style of men's characters in friends such as loss and Chandler in the fall and winter (the oneself investigation). As well as silhouette, flap, the cuffs of collar and pocket are finished linearly and make push after minimal sao. Friendly feeling may match color of very few Pastel gray when we look for. Thing of middle gauge that colorful thread was mixed in monotone as for the knit (47,000 yen) of underwear by basis. We are sharp in the center of sleeve and meet eyes and adopt the former detail which elbow looks like from there when we bend. It is unbearable special dish for fan from the old days. Bottoms choose one wash denim (35,000 yen) of painter pants-like design. If we wear waist and do, it fits in more. Expression that life came out of shows respect for model who walked orchid way at the time (it is decided).

Soak itself in 90' s fashion to the full, and is completely "friends" feeling. By the way, cafe called "Central Park" comes up in drama, and here becomes haunt of all. It is one of the pronouns of story. There are many cafes in GINZA SIX. Well, where will one cup of tightening make? Casual atmosphere that cafe of drama is usable in daily. There are a lot of relaxing cafes, but says and it is opportunity and is luxury and wants to play "friends" feeling. Therefore to "GRAND CRU CAFÉGINZA" (gurankuryukafeginza) of 13F that air changes.

José. which has nickname of coffee Hunter here Shop which made knowledge and Yoshiaki Kawashima's experience for more than 40 years, and was created. For all steps from field including farm, sorting, careful selection, roast of tree, storage method and packing form to Ginza, it is José. Feelings of Kawashima are jam-packed. Atmosphere in shop is very stylish, too. All over the wall is covered with high-quality leather. It is not amorous because it is leather of the soft feel that it is in so-called vegetable Tannin and was called by and is combined with retro chandelier, and it is in a relaxing such space though it is luxury.

Use of visitor is possible, too, but is basic; membership system. We keep coffee beans like bar and use. System (up to six cups) which has you purchase one bottle with 100 grams of roast beans by unit and serve coffee from the bottle. It is from about one 10,000 yen, and it is said that there is bottle of surpassing 100,000 yen when high. We completely stretch ourselves when we compare with social position. But become topic of conversation, and cannot usually taste; can have a special experience. Bottle keep is possible for two weeks, and it does not take additional charge at the time of re-visit, and salon is available.

We write bottle lightly since a little while ago, but beans actually enter bottle (!) . "Ceremony" begins after the opening of champagne bottle which had you wholesale, and Sosuke Hasegawa of evangelist gives a whiff of flavor of beans having just finished opening especially. Without fresh flavor spreading, and thinking that pull cork like champagne pop; smile.

It was cultivated at ranchieria farm of Colombia what we chose (one 10,000 yen). We had you provide pure "tipika" which had already become illusion not to readily appear in market kind in particular. Have me do drip carefully…No, beauty of cup & saucer served a ball. Antique thing of "old Noritake" where this has many collectors outside the country. It is said that choose to atmosphere of visitor, but, as for my thing, golden dragon dances white porcelain, and red and green pyroxene are studded with in everywhere, and is art anymore. Tension goes up since before having carried to entrance.

And when a mouthful takes a sip…This is quite refined. Like that that there is sweetness such as chocolate, and light bitterness peeps face later. Counter by the window overlooked cityscape of Higashiginza, and coffee to drink while watching this scenery was particular. It is certain that anyone came to seem to put on airs when we take photograph here. We had far-off eyes unintentionally and have looked good.

While is gone down the neckline by flavor of coffee, to the way home. We found mysterious container while coming back through this. Art that is konsepuchuaru with minimal by Takuro Tamayama of Aristrist among them. We say art container if we see commentary, and eight Aristrist & creators make work with container of various size under the theme of "new wait", and it is said that this is installed in various place in hall until February 23 in the next year. Hold in front of "18:00, work of 0 0" and hit message and put smartphone away and is interesting even if we try wait at the time when there was not mobile phone. While we are waiting, it is art and staring game to color container.

We introduced in pole me-like glance for a long time this time. But, we think that there are a lot of people that it is not thought that it is fashion now to be frank. Opportunity when we were dressed up and went out decreased. Therefore we think that it is not necessary to be dressed up by force. It is such a time now. But clothes are waiting. On clothes which repeated trial and error while was charmed by silhouette, and staff and friend toademokodemonai said to sewing, and bought for cloth which wanted to remember moment through sleeve. Moment when oneself in favorite clothes was reflected in glass of building, and feeling went up unintentionally.

There is power on clothes. It is not exaggerated at all and believes so. When, as for the person who can come, which is not so feels like even this weekend to enjoy power that clothes have. And we want to be dressed up at the full blast some other time, and to do and to walk town of Ginza. If oneself in favorite clothes is reflected in glass of building and the building is GINZA SIX, as - good painter, we are no longer glad.

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Text: Ryuta Morishita Photos: Takanori Hayashi Edit: Yuka Okada(81)

The world is in the midst of an unprecedented 90s craze. Perhaps unprecedented is overstatement, but you must’ve seen “The 90s Look” and “Sporty 90s Mix,” and other such phrases here and there. Fashion is cyclical, it’s said, and the 90s style is one of the main trends in the current scene. The consummate 90s TV sitcom has to be Friends, which spurred a bona fide unprecedented craze. In US national TV ratings, it ranked in the top ten every year from its inaugural season in 1994 to its sendoff in 2004.

Friends is set in New York. The six main characters, three men and three women, are of an age at which they are not yet fully adults, but face the various responsibilities of adults. They struggle, in a laidback way, with love and friendship (and sometimes work). I personally think it became such a hit because you could just sit back and relax as you watched, so casual was the world it created and the temporary escape it provided from adolescent dilemma. The characters were gradually growing into adulthood; there was much to relate to, much that rang true. After Friends ended, it wasn’t until Sex and the City that the fashions presented in a TV show would so broadly capture the imagination of viewers.

At any rate, the fashions worn by the characters on Friends are just really cute. And they’re so, so in right now. Straight outta the 90s. Of course, Friends fashion looks so in partly because the entire fashion industry is pushing the marketing. It’s the result of brainwashing, but, all the same, cute is cute; I do NOT care. My introduction here is rambling on, but, today, I’ll be searching for totally trendy 90s Friends fashion at GINZA SIX.

My first stop is rag ＆ bone on the third floor, a stalwart of New York Fashion Week. The brand began with denim. It’s great at unpretentious casual wear—urban, stylish, but unaffected. In short, it’s the rare brand that conjures a sense of effortlessness just in the wearing. When big silhouettes were all the rage, with all brands following suit, rag ＆ bone adopted the stance of adding a touch of this, as accents, a bit of spice. That was cool.

It’s no exaggeration to say everything on the rack is really in right now. Plus, some items are reminiscent of the styles of Rachel and Monica, two of the main characters in Friends. You can’t miss with cropped cut-and-sewns and knits. Pairing a short hemmed top that almost bares your navel with high-waisted denim gets the mood right (I mean, it’s so 90s…). The blue-washed look confers an effortless air. With its svelte silhouette, this knit, which goes from vivid blue on top to stripes (37,000 yen; all prices listed before tax), conjure a robust charm.

At a glance, these pants (28,000 yen) look like distressed denim—but, they’re actually sweats(!). They use sophisticated transfer printing technology, which produces an active feel that’s perfect for right now. They look comfortable, too. Slip a manly coat on over the top, and you, too, can be Rachel.

These boot-cut jeans with hems left untrimmed (28,000 yen) evoke a rough-hewn effortlessness. In terms of 90s fashion, the casual, unpretentious slacker look is just right. Given the new normal, with comfort and relaxation the focus, this general mood is gathering momentum.

On the men’s floor next door, outerwear draws my eye. Without hesitation, I pick out the black MA-1 (75,000 yen). While its military styling and rounded silhouettes are mainstream, this features fairly tight lines and somewhat bulky shoulders, which create an invigorating impression when you try it on. I recommend this to fashionistas a step ahead already tired of big silhouettes. Creative director Marcus Wainwright is from Britain, with its long-standing tradition of tailored clothing. In this context, the brand’s hints of conservative elegance make perfect sense.

This work jacket with a collar boa (75,000 yen) is fully reversible—two A sides. The navy is great for a chic look. The crisp orange nylon suggests fun.

In the spirit of New York Fashion Week, I head next to Helmut Lang on the fourth floor. Lang originally worked as a designer in Europe but in 1997 moved his base of operations to New York (actually, right in the middle of the Friends fever). That same year, he announced a second line, Helmut Lang Jeans. This collection was incredibly cool, a mold-breaking standard of minimalist casual wear—ideas like pairing an ivory jacket with the same color baggy denim. Checking out the past looks of the collections, I wondered if this brand wasn’t the original source of the monotone style now commonplace in street wear.

Today’s Helmut Lang has a refined airiness that recalls that time. What I mean by refined here is what I mentioned earlier: chic, but not stiff. Looking around the store, as one would expect, one sees plenty of tops with short hems. When I ask the sales attendant, I’m told the brand is pushing this look this year. Layered on top of a turtleneck sweater or shirt dress, the seamless jersey camisole (15,000 yen) I picked out here can easily boost your feminine factor. For bottoms, these blue-washed jeans (54,000 yen) present an undeniable appeal.

In the men’s category, how about this eye-catching gray leather blouson (130,000)? This is the fall and winter style of Ross and Chandler, two Friends male characters. Based on my own exhaustive personal research, these characters appear in leather blouson + knit + denim more than 70% of the time. It’s not just the silhouette—the collars and pocket flaps, the cuffs, everything is a straight line, which reinforces the minimalist feel. The difficult-to-find pastel gray color also has a nice friendly feel.

Under the blouson, this knit (47,000 yen) is middle-gauge, with a mix of colorful thread on a monotone base. The middle of the sleeves feature slits—when they bend, your elbows show, a detail from yesteryear. It’s an irresistible gem of a knit with many longtime fans. The bottoms are one-wash denim (35,000 yen) with a design that recalls painter’s pants. Wear them low, and they’re even more addicting. My slacker expression here pays homage to the runway models of the 90s (…lets just leave it at that!).

Totally immersed now in 90s fashion, I’m in full-on Friends mood. Incidentally, there’s a café in Friends called Central Perk. Nearly synonymous with the show, it’s where all the characters hang out. GINZA SIX also has lot of cafés. Now, where to go for a concluding cup of Joe? The café in the show has a casual atmosphere perfect for daily occupancy. You’ll find many cafés here, too, to relax Friends-style. But since opportunity presents itself, I decide to have some fun with luxury instead. So, for a change of atmosphere, I head up to GRAND CRU CAFÉ GINZA on the 13th floor.

This café is the product of extensive knowledge and experience—over 40 years of it—of coffee hunter Yoshiaki Kawashima, aka José. His attention to detail shines in every process, from grove to Ginza, from his careful selection of coffee farms and plants to methods for roasting, storage, and packaging. The interior design of the café is incredibly chic as well. One wall is entirely covered in fine leather—vegetable tanned and soft to the touch to tame the gloss. Combined with the retro-chic chandelier, it helps create a space both luxurious and relaxing.

Although it’s open to visitors, it’s basically a members-only establishment. As at certain bars, you buy coffee beans, then have the café retain the bottle so you can use the same beans when you come the next time. You can buy a single bottle with 100 grams of roasted beans, which brews up to six cups. The bottles run from 10,000 yen to over 100,000 yen at the high end. For me, this is definitely a stretch. But it makes for good conversation, and it’s a special experience people don’t normally encounter. The café will keep your bottle up to two weeks. There’s no additional charge the next time you come—plus, you can use the salon.

I’ve been writing “bottle” here, and it’s true, the beans actually do come in bottles! The ritual begins with the opening of the specially sourced champagne bottle. The service begins with “Evangelist” Yosuke Hasegawa opening the bottle. He lets you inhale the flavor of fresh beans curling up into the air. The cork comes off with a pop like a champagne bottle, and fresh aroma fills the air. I can’t help beaming.

I select beans grown on the Rancheria farm in Colombia (10,000 yen per bottle). I’m given a special selection of genuine Typica coffee beans hard to find elsewhere. I then have these rarities ground and carefully dripped in a beautiful cup and saucer set, leaving me totally speechless.

The set is antique Old Noritake, enthralling many collectors both in Japan and overseas. I’m told they choose the cup and saucer set based on their general impression of each customer. I get golden dragons dancing on white porcelain with inlaid red and green augite stones in various places. Truly a work of art. I’m brimming with anticipation even before I bring it to my lips.

And when I do take a sip…ahhh, supreme bliss! A sweetness recalling chocolate, with trailing wisps of bitterness. From the counter at the window, you can see down to the East Ginza streets. The view makes sipping this coffee more special still. A picture taken here would make anyone look a touch affected. Without thinking, gazing into the distance, I strike a pose.

Putting the wonderful coffee aroma behind me, with more than a little reluctance, I head home. On my way out, I spy this strange container containing minimalist conceptual art by the artist Takuro Tamayama. The notes indicate it actually is titled an “art container”; eight artists and creators have created art pieces on the theme of new meetups in containers of various sizes, installed throughout GINZA SIX until February 23, 2021. How delightful to put your smartphone away and write on a note, “Meet me in front of this or that artist work at 6 pm,” in the old mode in which we met before mobile phones. As I wait, I gaze at the art filling the container.

I’ve gone on at some length here from a personal perspective. But, honestly, with so few opportunities now to dress up and head out, fashion is probably the last thing many of you are thinking about. No need to force yourself to focus on fashion. These are simply the times we live in. But the clothes are waiting. Remember those times? Entranced by fabrics, by tailoring, by silhouettes, trying on this, trying on that, while talking to the staff, talking with your friends, saying this, saying that, buying something and the moment you first put it on. Remember putting on your favorite clothes and seeing your reflection in the building glass? Remember the sudden rush of excitement?

Clothing has power. It’s no exaggeration; I truly believe it. Try immersing yourself in the power of raiment—just slip into it. How about this weekend? And, if not, then, of course, whenever you find that you can. How wonderful to look forward to a time when we can dress up once again to our hearts’ content and stroll the streets of Ginza—to see oneself in one’s favorite clothes, reflected in building glass. If that building is GINZA SIX, nothing could make me happier.

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Text: Ryuta Morishita　Photos: Takanori Hayashi　Edit: Yuka Okada(81)

Ryuta Morishita

Fashion editor. Born in Kumamoto Prefecture in 1986. Worked as an editor at Kodansha’s HUgE and at Hearst Fujingaho’s MEN’S CLUB. Freelance thereafter and involved in various media —advertising, catalogs, magazines, and more. Loves fashion, literature, art, film, and other forms of cultural expression.

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