Views of Omotesando, looking different from the everyday

The Omotesando and Aoyama areas are the cradle for everything from haute couture flagship shops to boutiques, vintage stores, and accessories shops. The neighborhood is the veritable standard-bearer of Japanese fashion, and it is here where Vogue: Fashion’s Night Out (FNO) is held. This shopping event aims to stimulate the fashion industry and offers a variety of programming for the enjoyment of fashion — the idea is creating a context and environment tying people to items and creating a dialogue around style. The organizers host the event for the enjoyment of guests — this mutual dialogue energizes the neighborhood even more than usual, creating a special mood. Let’s take a look!

FNO kicked off at 5PM. This London-style double-decker bus was prepared by United Arrows (UA) and made a circuit of Harajuku, Omotesando, and Aoyama. Seeing the usual streets of Omotesando from the top story of the bus was a new and exciting experience for guests.

The bus set out from United Arrows Harajuku for Men and passed through Meiji-dori and Omotesando. Looking down at the streets below, we see that there are many more pedestrians than usual! Although it was a hot day, many people came in long sleeves, hinting at the fall to come.

The bus then plied its route past the Nezu Museum and then stopped in front of Drawer Aoyama. Guests then walked through town — in front of Astraet Aoyama, neighboring shops sent a stream of bubbles into the air, creating a magical mood.

A stone lantern stands guard by the crosswalk at Omotesando. These lanterns are veritable symbols of the neighborhood, and they were, as ever, unchanged, seeming to warmly look guard over guests and light up the town.

At dusk, the shop windows blinked on in further splendor. The illumination around Omotesando Hills was particularly gorgeous! The play of pink windows against the dark night sky was beautiful. UA’s bus continued its route. What sights did passengers see from the windows?

---

A unique program brings customers and stores together

UA has numerous shops in the area where FNO is held. We wanted to strengthen our ties with customers, so we prepared a range of programming that drew on the strengths of each shop. Featured here is a snapshot.

At Beauty & Youth United Arrows Shibuya Cat Street Women’s Store, designer Ryuji Kamiyama’s Blanks line held a live silkscreening event. Guests could bring in items or use ones bought at the shop and have them printed with a design of their choice on the spot. Guests loved seeing the show, as well as getting one-of-a-kind items to take home.

The “talk and come again” coffee shop was also installed at the store, and they prepared shaved ice using a special house-made coffee syrup. Customers eagerly lined up to taste this limited-edition item. After a long day’s shopping, nothing beats a snack — and then it’s onto the next destination.

At monkey time Beauty & Youth United Arrows Harajuku, drinks were offered, and designer Mike of ICNY, a popular brand in the street scene, created reflective prints to order. Customers could combine text, numbers, and the brand’s logos and get Mike to print the effect on a hat. While the hats were prepared, guests snapped photos and chatted with the ebullient Mike. The real charm of FNO lies in the way brands and shoppers come together.

At United Arrows Harajuku for Women, temporary tattoos were offered by “Flash Tattoos make your dressy.” The sparkling geometric motifs that are the brand’s signature were available, and the booth was thronged with female guests who were fascinated by the designs. Donning these elegant tattoos and taking to the streets added to the excitement.

On the third floor of the same building was a pop-up shop — Cav Empt Short Term Retail Experiment at Beauty & Youth United Arrows. Drinks were available, and a live DJ spun amazing tracks. A VJ also created avant-garde footage, and everyone seemed to forget their cares for a spell as they slipped into an audio-visual zone and let their bodies move to the beat.

Facing the Women’s shop is United Arrows Harajuku for Men, which is where sneaker accessory brand Jason Markk offered a sneaker cleaning event. Even the cleanest-looking sneakers take on a totally new appearance when buffed free of stains. These slight touches are the key to fashion, as we all know. This was a great event that conveyed the idea that god is in the details.

---

Omotesando, glistening at night

Before we knew it, the event had transformed and slipped into a coat of a different color — it was night time, and the streets of Omotesando were glistening beautifully. The thrill of an all-day long event like FNO is watching this transition and enjoying both day and night. Let’s wrap up with another tour on the double-decker bus.

Even by night, the crisp red outline of the bus stood out. Its presence was unmistakable, and we spotted many pedestrians whipping out cameras to catch the bus in motion.

As night drew, the streets were thronged with more people, and Omotesando, the main drag, was bustling with guests. Even security personnel had to be dispatched to lead traffic through the crosswalks. The excitement was met with more fervor, and we seemed to find crowds everywhere — the event was really getting hot!

The bus made a final circuit and stopped back at United Arrows Harajuku for Men. FNO ran until 10 PM, with the shops open throughout. Through this event, many more people took a newfound interest in fashion, something we, as fashionistas, are delighted to see. Shopping stimulates the economy, so enjoying fashion helps society. We saw this positive feedback loop taking place at FNO. With that, the night came to a close, and we could count FNO as another super successful run. Until next year!