Japan, Pt. 3: Best Packaging

I have to admit that I read about Mister Hollywood in the July issue of Vogue, on the plane ride over. (Normally I don't have the luxury to read magazines.) They mentioned organic cotton t-shirts packaged in "drawers" with metal handles. I had to see them, and there they are.

This was a hard-won picture, after about an hour of trying to find the store in high heat and humidity. Finally a young Japanese guy led us to it, tucked away off the main road, with a big truck blocking the entrance. It's not easy to find, but if you're in the market for high-end men's design, I can't imagine a better place to shop. I mean, just look at the marquee.

And the foyer...love the chandelier, and the scary clown.

Japan, Pt. 2

My husband and I spent our only full day in Tokyo just wandering the city. One of our favorite finds was a little "organic" shop called I-Uki-Kaha-Ngurengure. The shop itself was gorgeous, with a little garden out front and two stories of all sorts of eco finds, from Japanese honey, to Stewart + Brown clothes, to Japanese handmade shoes from Space Craft, to Japanese hand-woven silks. Confession: this is where I spent my whole shopping travel budget. It was so worth it.

Japanese pottery

Fair Trade baskets

Silk cocoon and silk thread used to make...

These gorgeous scarves and wraps. They felt as light as air...

Japan, Pt. 1

Excuse our overextended vacation!  We took a much-needed little summer break, and one of the places I was lucky enough to find myself was Japan, tagging along with my husband for the Fuji Rock festival.

We had only 1 1/2 days to explore Tokyo itself (it was my first time), but we pounded the pavement, and found some amazing stuff. This will be the first of a few Japan installments.

These were the tents at the festival—neatly lined up. Unlike camping I've seen anywhere else. And they were all the most beautiful colors, much like...

These taxicabs. Yes, I took a picture of taxicabs. But look at the colors! I would paint my walls these colors. They also had a mint-green cab and a deep navy (unbelievable), which I wasn't fast enough to capture on film. 

More tomorrow....