An international symbol of post-modern consumerism, Tokyo is a visual tapestry of competing references and cultures, famed for a symphonic skyline which switches from temples of ancient pasts to skyscrapers of distant futures with unquestionable elegance and propriety. The Far-East's answer to NYC, Tokyo is a bar-setting metropolis which blends old and new like an expertly curated gallery where each element is captivating in isolation, but utterly mesmerising when absorbed as one.
This intrinsic blend of references and style codes has trickled down into the very fabric of Tokyo culture and informs, quite literally, the fabrics its inhabitants produce, source and consume. Defined by a distinctly post-modern sensibility; a digitally developed hyper-city with a legacy that spans the millennia, Tokyo is a global hotspot for culture of almost any form.
Continuing our ‘Tokyo in Focus' series, international streetstyle photographer Robert Spangle captures the very best fashion and lifestyle that this iconic city has to offer exclusively for END.
Following on from our retrospectives on Harajuku and Ebisu streetstyle, we look next to Shinjuku. Home to the world's busiest train station, handling more than 2 million passengers a day - Shinjuku is a global streetstyle vantage point where high meets low, culture meets counter, and sartorial meets street in an eclectic storm that's unlike anywhere else on the planet.
Statement quilting and down jackets emerge as a key trend for the season in hand.Pair quilted outerwear with indigo selvedge denim for a modern-utility spin on classic menswear.
Classic sartorialism is given a casual treatment with tailored silhouettes iterated in heavyweight cotton and canvas.Confidently pair navy and black to make a clear counterargument to the misheld belief that these colours are incompatible.Experiment with wider and looser silhouettes for a louche spin on the traditional.
For a contemporary streetwear look with an atmospheric spin, pair branded pieces with luxury labels in a black-out palette.Mix urban accessories with new-wave corporate outerwear for a post-modernist take on high/low dressing.
