Bloggers and friends Dan Bailey and Joe Kazuaki launched their site Tokyo Dandy in 2008 as a way to bridge the gap between street fashion, culture and high fashion in a way not previously seen in mainstream Japanese media. The bilingual web magazine covers Japanese and international fashion, art, photography, and music. Its popularity has made the two founders tastemakers, with a devoted following of fashion insiders around the world and Japanese club kids. Nowadays, the duo is just as likely to be on the guest list for a flagship store opening, as they are collaborating with brands like Marc Jacobs , Acne Studios and Loewe.
Central to the site’s coverage is “Disposable Lives,” an ongoing photo series shot on disposable cameras that captures everything from neighbourhood architecture to spontaneous after-hours moments. Bailey, originally from York, and Kazuaki, from Okinawa (a resort island at the southern tip of Japan), are also known for their photography of parties and events hosted at underground clubs. The two have told CNN that they are chronicling the happenings of Japan’s "lost generation," a demographic comprised of young people scrounging a living by working part-time in retail and making statements with their outfits, often with a lot of flair and DIY.
“It’s going to be extremely interesting to see what happens to all of these kids in 10 years. Can they be working at clothing shops forever?” Bailey said to CNN.
Through their work, the pair have become a fixture on the Tokyo fashion scene, with collaborations and DJ gigs for brands like Marc Jacobs, Prada, Vogue Japan, Loewe, CK One, and Louis Vuitton. Bailey has also taken photography commissions with brands like Gucci and Verbal (a hip-hop artist), while Kazuaki has designed clothing for Japanese brand Fad3.
In 2010, WWD Japan named Tokyo Dandy the most influential blog.
