Little Tokyo's Fashion Scene
Three Shops,
Three Styles,
One Story.
by Justin Diep, Jada Sandvall & Mahi Jariwala
Little Tokyo's Fusion More Than Food
Behind the gates of Little Tokyo's food scene of endless ramen shops, sushi places and tea houses, a blending of cultures is hidden in clothing shops throughout the neighborhood.
From the pop art at Kools, the block colors at Mokuyobi and the streetwear at Japangeles, there is a taste of Asian American cultures through fashion hiding all around Little Tokyo.
Photo by Ken Hilton on Unsplash
Micahel Yuen, 21, & Carson Inouye, 18, work at Japangeles in Little Tokyo.
Micahel Yuen, 21, & Carson Inouye, 18, work at Japangeles in Little Tokyo.
With the emphasis on streetwear becoming a bigger trend in American culture, the appeal to many customers has arisen. One shop captures this trend with inspiration from Japan and Southern California. Japangeles in the heart of Little Tokyo is an L.A.-based streetwear store that opened in 2010 as a small stand but was able to expand to a storefront in 2017.
One of Japangeles's most popular designs is inspired by L.A.'s deep-rooted love and connection to the L.A. Dodgers by keeping the same aesthetic as the Dodger's merch but replacing the name with Japangeles.
One of Japangeles's most popular designs is inspired by L.A.'s deep-rooted love and connection to the L.A. Dodgers by keeping the same aesthetic as the Dodger's merch but replacing the name with Japangeles.
Yuen, an associate of the store admired its uniqueness and emphasis on the importance of the in-person experience of not only Japangeles but of the entire neighborhood.
“There’s only this store right here in Little Tokyo and there’s no online shop so you know we essentially want a lot of people to come down to Little Tokyo and experience the neighborhood rather than shopping online and just getting the merch,” Yuen said.
One customer, Andrew Liang 25, a Chicago native who moved to LA two years ago. As an Asian American dancer, Liang connected to the fusion of cultures.
One customer, Andrew Liang 25, a Chicago native who moved to LA two years ago. As an Asian American dancer, Liang connected to the fusion of cultures.
“The Asian plus the street culture is something I like a lot obviously being a dancer so I appreciate it a lot,” Liang said.
The store's influence in the neighborhood, as well as the city, has brought in collaborations throughout the years from Hello Kitty, the L.A. Clippers, Gudetama and Lexus.
Last year, the luxury Japanese car brand reached out to the store for a promotional event for their new IS 350. Inouye described the close connection the two brands built over the past year with the ties car culture has with streetwear.
Last year, the luxury Japanese car brand reached out to the store for a promotional event for their new IS 350. Inouye described the close connection the two brands built over the past year with the ties car culture has with streetwear.
Japangeles’s in-person exclusivity welcomes local community members like Liang, tourists, and popular celebrities such as Simu Liu, Bobby Lee, Tim Chantarangsu and Nicolas Cage.
Japangeles is located at 141 Japanese Village Plaza Mall, Los Angeles, CA 90012
“It’s such an amazingly creative name, Japangeles," Yuen said. "Even back then when Asian American culture wasn't a huge part of American culture it still represented the same thing to me it still represented Asian American culture.”
A neon sign greets customers above the entrance to Mokuyobi in Little Tokyo. The clothing shop highlights block coloring and neon colors in the apparel.
A neon sign greets customers above the entrance to Mokuyobi in Little Tokyo. The clothing shop highlights block coloring and neon colors in the apparel.
With its eye-catching neon sign, Mokuyobi is hard to miss when walking through Little Tokyo. For 15 years prior, the brand was based only online but in August 2021 the in-person store was opened for a more accessible way of shopping. Mokuyobi brings the modern-day American fashion style into play while bringing back the bright colors of the 90s.
When entering the store you can find anything from earrings to sweatshirts in all sizes and colors. Although similar items can be found on fast fashion websites, Mokuyobi believes that different fabrics and development make their products higher quality and more sustainable.
“It is not like Shein where you will get an $8 top," Mokuyobi’s store manager said. "We strive for the best possible quality. Our brand is LA based and our founder designs everything you see out on the floor.”
Mokuyobi can be found at 101 Japanese Village Plaza Mall, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Photos displaying the interior of Mokuyobi.
Photos displaying the interior of Mokuyobi.
The interior of Kools features vintage-styled clothing and accessories.
The interior of Kools features vintage-styled clothing and accessories.
In the 1960s, manga started to influence not only Japan but the world. Kools encompasses that influence with its pop art and graphic tees. Staying open throughout the pandemic, Kools has seen its ups and downs in business flow; however, its customers always seem to come back for the newest styles featured.
It can be seen throughout Kools that the intertwining of Japanese and American cultures is very prominent. With vintage car videos played on a TV in the back of the store and fun patches and stickers for sale, it is obvious that this store highlights elements from both cultures.
Kools is located at 110 Japanese Village Plaza Mall, Los Angeles, CA 90012
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