Get Your Dancing Tabi On
Every time new Honomonya Tabi arrive, after ripping open the box I scream with delight and exclaim how I absolutely MUST have them all! Masao always smiles sweetly at me as he pries my fingers off the boots and takes them to be photographed. I have finally released my grip on the latest range and am lovingly offering them up for you to lust after too! Enjoy! The inside of the Kin Kakuji (golden temple) boots have been lined with Japanese fabric showing off the Honmonoya red label and featuring daruma. Daruma are Japanese wishing dolls. The Blossom Tabi rock my toe socks off! The outside of the boots feature a hand stitched vintage piece of embroidered fabric. The right boot has metallic embroidered blossoms on a rich green background with a lush red boarder and sparkling sequins. The left boot has a large, wrapping piece of embroidered vintage fabric with red and gold sequins stitched on as well as hand made Japanese style blossoms. These tabi are made for dancing or funky street strolling!

Design Festa Vol. 28
Design Festa was a speedy ride for us this time, a whirlwind tour filled with business card swapping, colorful sparkles, accessory browsing, merchandise checking and a bit of hooping to funky tunes. A quick capture of some of the happenings...

Sharing the Love
After spending a day under the tracks down by the Futakotamagawa, snacking on way too many conbini treats and playing with colorful hula hoops it is time to share some internet space that we are loving. Photo by Shirley77 We will always think of her as Asobi Geisha but this piece of internet gold is now known as Weekly Teinou Woman Bee. Some quirkiness maybe not safe for your workplace but definitely worth a peek. Written in Japanese but the pictures and links are just as entertaining. Author, blogger, fashion designer and Gothic Lolita goddess La Carmina can now add Web Cam Star to her long list of achievements thanks to a chat up with host Kevin Cooney on the Tokyo Cooney program. Tokyo-based; design, art and pop culture connoisseur Jean Snow made the exciting announcement this week that he will become one half of the PingMag editorial team. PingMag truly is the source of much greatness for us and the rest of it's wide readership. The article written by Kevin Mcgue about Tsukikageya's fashion yukata is one of my all time favs. Punk Yukata anyone? Yes please! Ooops almost 3am, getting close to dream time! More link love soon... oyasumi nasai!

c&m Wild, Wise and Sacred
New York inspired brand chief&mischief have released their new range and it is over flowing with symbols of strength, wisdom and wildness. When chief&mischief designers, Brandon and Caroline rocked into FRAGMENT with their latest range as well as a mind blowing set of one of a kind pieces it was wildly apparent how rapidly the brand has evolved. Their styles were deservedly sort after at the event, their fan base was out in full force and growing in numbers.

Colors Art Exhibition
COLORS @ HILLSIDE FORUM is a special art exhibition/party event for international people at Hillside Forum in Daikanyama. 40 creators plus 4 performer groups will come together to bring ART for everyone. Visitors will also have chance to win artworks, goods, and products. Art Exhibition Date: 2008/11/26 (wed) - 11/30 (sun) Time: 10:00 - 19:00 (Last day & 29th until 17:00/Enter until 30min before close) Venue: Hillside Forum Admission: Free Participating Creators： ACE／AYUMI／cocomats1。／kennji／MARYCO／mori2／RIE／SHANTI／33STRIKE／ Akihiro／Nao Asami／Yuji Ashikawa／Masako Ando／Yuki Ishiyama／Ayumi Uemi／Naoko Otsuki／ Touko Okamura／Hidehiro Ueoka／Toyohisa Kanno／Satoru Kuboyama／Komi／Azusa Komoda／Satsuki／Savako／ Hiroko Sato／Yusuke Sato／Tomoko Shimura／Takako Susai／Seien／Ryohei Tanaka／Chiharu Tsurumi／ Kaori Nakanishi／Jun Nara／Akiko Fukunaga／Kanako Fujita／Masayoshi Mizuho／Shin Yanagisawa／ Akira Yamaguchi／Eko Yamaji／Mamoru Yamamoto Participating Performers： Akutsu Yasunaga 3／Yam Yam／Dance Company "Nenemu"／Seema Organized by Giant Mango Help by Art Obsession Inc.

Zoestyles to the Rescue
The Tokyo temperature has dropped considerably leaving us rummaging for funky wardrobe pieces to add extra warmth. Like a fashion super hero, new Zoestyles creations came to our rescue this week in the form of warmer wilder Dracula Bancho jackets. The latest Zoestyles look rocks the cheetah print. Turn to the wild side. Gorgeously smooth and furry to touch.The jacket has been handcrafted in Japan using 100% Polyester. A medium weight, warm Spring or Fall jacket. The original Zoestyles Dracula Bancho is now available in olive. (p.s. I have a little secret to share...I have a mild OBSESSION for animal print which is only multiplied when I have Zoestyles around. In Japan animal print has been a long standing favorite of the funky styled Obaasan's (older ladies) I often catch myself locking knowing glances with Grandmas on the train who also rock the wild obsession! d xx)

Fan Club Give Aways
Are you a TokyoMade Fan Club member? We love our fans and happen to have a huge bundle of TokyoMade goodies to give away to fan club members! After the big, warm love in that was FRAGMENT we were excited to witness the new and overflowing fan club prizes, treasure chest. Sign up and stay tuned for the next round of give aways this month.

H&M Opens in Harajuku
On Saturday H&M opened it's second Tokyo store in Harajuku. For about a week now security guards have been making neat lines of eager shoppers, stretching way back to the Meiji Dori intersection. Tokyo trend hunters hungry for H&M were camping out in the chill and rain days before the opening. Today as we wandered around in the area it seemed like everyone was carrying their own little piece of H&M. Rei Kawakubo's COMME des GARÇONS and H&M timed a collaboration for the Harajuku opening. Paper H&M shopping bags are sporting the H&M and COMME des GARÇONS logo combo. A very clever and ultimately lucrative combo for H&M's second dip into the Japanese market. While H&M are up against fierce competition in the Tokyo market we are intrigued to note the impact this major new player, dazzling it's pretty lights over Meiji Street, may have on other shopping epicenters for young and budget conscious shoppers in the area e.g. La Foret and Takeshita Dori.

FRAGMENT - A Day of Good Friends, Great Design and Creative Inspiration
To sum up an inspiring afternoon at Super Deluxe in Roppongi I am going to draw on some of the fabulous feedback that we received. FRAGMENT turned out to be a creatively infused, chill zone bubbling with designer's creations, dynamic artistic adventures and an eclectically conscious group of individuals from the International art and design community in Tokyo. The ultimate way to celebrate the end of Tokyo Design Week. We are truly grateful to the input of each and every person who displayed, visited, participated and enjoyed. Thank you for your continued support.

FRAGMENT Count Down
With Tokyo Design Week in full swing we are out and about at various creative events while in full on preparation mode for Monday's celebratory end to Tokyo Design Week 2008 - FRAGMENT. Along side the designer's market, live painters and funky music makers we will be giving away prizes at the end of Guy Perryman's set - 8pm. Every one is a winner baby!