My friend Sjors from the G-Shock Forum sent an e-mail the other day about Kikstyo in Tokyo working with Casio and New Balance to release a limited edition New Balance 574 sneaker. Kikstyo is dedicated to sneaker culture, and they specialize in Japan-only versions (called colorways) of Nike and New Balance shoes. The tie-in with Casio comes because it’s the 25th anniversary of the release of the G-Shock, a popular watch in youth culture in Japan, the rest of Asia, and Europe. Kikstyo G-Shocks will be released soon.

Many Americans may be surprised to learn that New Balance shoes, especially classic ones from the 1970s such as model 574, as well as classics by other makers, are popular with young people in Asia. In fact, demand from Japan led to the reintroduction a couple years back of classic, discontinued US sneaker models like the Nike Dunk and Air Force 1, according to the book Where’d You Get Those? New York City’s Sneaker Culture: 1960-1987 by Bobbito Garcia. (Click here to see the book on Amazon.com.)

Although Nike are popular in the US with young people, they are more likely to wear a brands like DC, Etnies or Adio than New Balance. But in Japan old school brands and models from the 1970s and ’80s, updated in modern colors with graphic designs by artist like Eric Haze, are considered hip. And just like Japanese magazines outline the history of wristwatches like G-Shocks in minute detail, they do the same with US goods. Below is an article from a recent Japanese magazine detailing the family tree and evolution leading to New Balance 992.

Of course, there are those in the US with a good eye for design, and for what is hip. One is Steve Jobs, president and CEO of Apple, Inc. Below is a picture of Jobs taken at last week’s D conference. (Click here to see a report on Jobs at the conference.) You’ll notice Jobs is wearing a new pair of New Balance 992s. Like Mark Twain, known as the man in the white suit from the West, Jobs knows the power of image and wore his standard outfit of a black turtleneck, Levis blue jeans, and New Balance shoes.

Fanatical Japanese appreciation of cool things is not confined to G-Shock watches, or New Balance, or Nike shoes, but of course extends to American jeans, especially Levis, Lee, Wrangler, and Ralph Lauren. Below is a recent magazine article explaining the history of Levis 501XX jeans. The article shows examples from the 1950s and 1960s, and discusses the evolution of detailing, like changes in the leather patch and red tab.

Although I love Levis model 501 jeans, and especially like Levis 505s, my recent favorite is model 569. I was pleased to see Jobs wearing a pair of 569s, which are baggy in the hip-hop style. They are simply too comfortable to wear.

Just like many young people in America wear sneaker brands like DC or Vans, and fail to appreciate how cool Asian youth think New Balance are—many of the young in the US like jeans by makers like Citizens of Humanity or Banana Republic, rather than old school brands like Levis or Lee. Below are the jeans Jobs wore, Levis 569 Medium Blast. And, of course, Jobs is not young, but he is cool. I mean, come on. The man made the iPod.

Vintage American clothing is very collectible in Japan, and often sells for big bucks. I saw a vintage 1960s Lee Storm Rider denim jacket this month, in very good condition, exactly like the one below, for $6 US in a Goodwill thrift store. According to a Japanese magazine published last month, it’s worth around $400 to collectors in Japan. Down from $900 it was selling for in 1998, but after hitting a bottom of about $350 last year, the price is rising again.

Classic, iconic brands like G-Shock, New Balance, Nike, Levis, and Lee, and models of these brands from the ’60s and ’70s, have a strong cool factor for many young people, as well as middle aged collectors, in Japan. The same is true elsewhere in Asia, as well as in Europe. And it’s interesting to note that while Kikstyo (kiks = kicks = shoes; tyo = Tokyo?) has stores in Japan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, Taiwan, Amsterdam, Germany, France, Sweden, and the United Kingdom—there are none in the US.

Of course, sneaker culture originated in the US, and magazines like Sole Collector lead the way. (Click here to visit Sole Collector’s website.) Still, I think it’s fair to say many in America don’t know how cool old school things like G-Shocks, New Balance, and Levis are. I guess we take them for granted, or maybe young Americans can’t get past the fact their parents like these things, and notice how cool the designs are.

Click here to visit Kikstyo’s international website.

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This entry was posted on Monday, June 4th, 2007 at 2:00 pm and is filed under Casio. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.