An Untapped Trove of ’80s Vintage Luxury Draws Fashionistas to Japan
A weak yen and a stockpile of bubble-era designer goods have made Japan a global mecca for vintage fashion, drawing tourists and influencers in droves.
A customer browses products on sale at the ALLU Omotesando store operated by Valuence Holdings Inc. in Tokyo in September.
Photographer: Ko Tsuchiya/BloombergA short walk from the selfie stick-wielding crowds of Tokyo’s Harajuku, the serene side streets of Omotesando are peppered with fashion-conscious tourists. Sporting Dior saddle bags and silk Hermès scarves, they’re scavenging for the must-have memento of their trip: a secondhand designer handbag.
“There is huge demand here,” says vintage dealer Kris Jiang, 29, who’s on track to make $1.6 million this year from reselling luxury bags mostly sourced from Japan. “It’s the modern-age tourist souvenir: Come to Japan, and buy a vintage bag.”