"Western fashion has been widely appreciated and consumed in Tokyo for decades, but since the mid-1990s Japanese youth have been playing a crucial role in forming their own unique fashion communities and producing creative styles which have had a major impact on fashion globally. Geographically and stylistically defined, subcultures such as Lolita in Harajuku, Gyaru and Gyaru-o in Shibuya, Agejo in Shinjuku and Mori Girl in Kouenji, reflect the affiliation and identities of their members, and have often blurred the boundary between professionals and amateurs for models, photographers, merchandisers and designers. Based on insightful ethnographic fieldwork in Tokyo, is the first theoretical and analytical study on Japan's contemporary youth subcultures and their stylistic expressions. It is essential reading for students, scholars and anyone interested in fashion, sociology and subcultures"--

• Part One: Introduction Understanding Subcultural Studies: DIck Hebdige Revisited Placing Tokyo on the Fashion Map: From Catwalk to Streetstyle Japanese Youth in a Changing Society
• Part Two: Geographically and Stylistically Defined Japanese Subcultures Shibuya: The Youth in Outspoken Rebellion Harajuku: The Youth in Silent Rebellion Akihabara and Ikebukuro: Playing with Costume as an Entertainment Shinjuku: Girls of the Nightlife Using Beauty as a Weapon Kouenji and Other Fashion Districts: From Secondhand Clothing Lovers to Fast Fashion Followers Individual and Institutional Networks within a Subcultural System: Efforts to Validate and Valorize New Tastes in Fashion
• Part Three: The Power of the Youth: Trickle-up/Bubble-up Theory Revisited The De-professionalization of Fashion The Globalization of Japanese Subcultures: Future Possibilities and Limitations Conclusion: The Future of Japanese Subcultures Bibliography Index