C53 CREATIVES LTD: C53 DOES JAPAN................

C53 HAS JUST RETURNED FROM JAPAN WHERE WE WERE HOSTED BY THE WONDERFUL AYA FROM AYAME SOCKS, WE WERE OVER TO SEE HOW AND WHERE THE WONDERFUL UNIQUE PRODUCT THAT IS AYAME IS CREATED AND BROUGHT TO LIFE.........

JUST ABOUT SCRAPPED THRU CUSTOMS WITH THE BALD HEAD AND BEARD.......

THE CERULEAN TOWER IN SHIBUYA WAS THE BASE OF OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK, A SHAME THAT THE O2 ROAMING TARRIFF WASN'T AS ATTRACTIVE.........

QUICK VISIT TO ONE OF THE COOLEST SHOWROOMS IN TOKYO "STYLE CO. LTD" (www.dupestyle.com) WHERE IT WAS QUITE BIZARRE TO ACTUALLY HAVE THE SAME LEVEL EYE CONTACT WITH SOMEONE @ 6FT 4..........

RYO, HIDEO AND SHINTARO RUN A TIGHT SHIP AND HAVE SOME GREAT PRODUCT. CHECK OUT THE "KIDS LOVE GAITE" FOOTWEAR THAT SHINTARO DESIGNS. FUTURE!!!!

A QUICK SHORT CUT THRU JAPAN MEETS AMSTERDAM AND IT WAS TIME TO TRY TAPAS, SHIBUYA STYLE...........

OR MAYBE NOT..........................

THE FOLLOWING DAY AFTER VISITING THE USUAL SUSPECTS SUCH AS BEAMS, TOMORROWLAND, MIDWEST AND CANDY IT WAS REALLY REFRESHING TO COME ACROSS A UNIQUE NEW INDEPENDANT "HEATHER GREY WALL" THEY HAD A NICE TIGHT SELECTION OF BRANDS AND THE STAFF AS WITH ALL STAFF IN JAPAN WE ON TOP OF THERE GAME........

JUST COULD NOT RESIST.............

NEXT IT WAS OFF WEST TO KITAKATSURAGIGUN IN NARA TO VISIT THE FACTORY WHERE AYAME IS PRODUCED.............

AFTER A GREAT WELCOME FROM HIRONOBU (EL PRESIDENTE) AND HISASHI WE TOOK A TOUR OF THE FACTORY FLOOR WHERE I WAS BLOWN AWAY BY THE CRAFTMANSHIP OF THE PRODUCTS THEY PRODUCE......

INSPECTING THE FUTURE C53 x AYAME SOCK, MORE ON THIS IN LATER POSTS.......

NOW THIS IS THE INCEPTION OF A VERY INTERESTING COLLABORATION, ALL WILL BE REVEALED IN NEW YORK CAPSULE THIS JULY..........

AYA, "BROWN SHREK" AND HIRONOBU...........

ROCKIN THE WAGU BEEF IN NARA, COURTESY OF MR FURUKAWA, A GREAT HOST........

ON ROUTE BACK TO TOKYO A QUICK WHISTLE STOP IN KYOTO TO VISIT SANJUSANGEN-DO (www.sanjusangendo.jp)

THE OFFICIAL NAME OF SANJUSANGEN-DO IS RENGEO TEMPLE THAT WAS ESTABLISHED BY A POWERFUL WARRIOR-POLITITIAN (NOT YOUR TYPICAL BALLBAG POLITITIAN THAT WE ARE ACCUSTOMED TO IN THE UK) "TAIRA-NO-KIYOMORI" IN 1164

LETS HAVE A QUICK BROWSE..............

LOOKING FOR LUCK............

JUST KIDDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AFTER THE SHORT STAY IT WAS BACK TO TOKYO FOR SOME GRAFT..........

AND MORE GRAFT...............

AND YOU GUESSED IT!! MORE GRAFT...........

THERE WAS STILL TIME FOR C53 TO DO A LITTLE MORE RETAIL RESEARCH :-/

THE RESULTS WERE; WELL............

AHEM........

THESE BUNCH OF "GOD KNOWS WHAT" EACH HAVE BEEN NAMED AFTER BUYERS I HAVE MET, IF ANY OF YOU RECOGNISE YOURSELF.....................

AFTER A SUCCESSFUL WEEK VISITING THE FACTORIES, STORES, SHOWROOMS AND TOYSHOPS (YES ED, TOYSHOPS), IT WAS TIME TO HEAD BACK TO C53 TOWERS WITH A HEAD FULL OF NEW IDEAS SOON TO BE UNLEASHED..........