







Learn Japanese with JapanesePod101.com! Do you insist on carry a name brand bag that matches your expensive clothes and shoes? If so, you might be considered a “brand maniac” in Japan. Interestingly, women in Japan have embraced western designers and proudly sport their expensive goods.
In this episode of Yuri’s audio blog, delve into the costly world of “brand maniacs,” Japanese women who insist on wearing and carrying the most expensive Western fashions. Interesting and informative, this audio blog won’t be rough on your wallet!

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This entry was posted on Thursday, May 21st, 2009 at 6:30 pm and is filed under Audio Blog . 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.
32 Responses to “Audio Blog S2 #10 - Tokyo Fashion Files #4: Crazy About Brands”
Wednesday at 5:27 pm
東京のファッション事情4・ブランドマニア編
みなさん、こんにちは。
ユリのオーディオブログです。
今日は東京のファッション、「ブランドマニア」についてお話します。日本には、欧米の老舗ブランドに目がない女性たちが大勢います。中でもルイヴィトンの人気は不動の地位を築いています。青山や表参道の大通りでほんの10分散歩をすれば、ルイヴィトンのバッグを手に持つ女性を必ず見ることができるといっても過言ではありません。今や、女子大生や女子高生であっても、ひとつ3万円はするルイヴィトンの財布を持っているのが常識だというので私も驚きます。日本は不景気といわれて久しいですが、まるでそれが嘘のように、高価なブランド品が売れています。エルメス、プラダ、ボッテガヴェネタのバッグ、また、マークジェイコブス、グッチ、ディオールなどの洋服も飛ぶように売れ続けているそうです。
「ブランドマニア」と呼ばれる女性たちの多くは、こうしたいろいろなブランドものを一緒にコーディネートすることが多いのも事実です。ディオールのスーツにプラダのバッグ、シャネルの財布にグッチのアクセサリーというように身につけるものすべてが高級ブランドなのです。これらを身につけることが、一種のステイタスであり、自己表現なのです。私は、自分に似合うものがあれば、何か買ってみようと、お店を覗いたこともありますが、やはりなかなか高額で簡単にはお財布を開けることができませんでした。ウィンドーに飾られた豪華なディスプレーを眺めているだけで十分だったのです。
さて、みなさんの街ではどうでしょうか?
海の向こうにも、やはり「ブランドマニア」はいるのでしょうか?
それでは、また。
Thursday at 6:30 pm
皆さん、こんにちは!
Do you pay any attention to brands? Are there any specific brands that you use and like?
Thursday at 8:00 pm
Usually attention to brand shows lack of individuality, psychological weakness, and so on. It takes a mature person not to fall into the need to conform. Usually the younger you are the more you need to have the brands or the new gadgets like mobile phones, ipods, to support you. Of course, some people never grow up, so you can still see adults obsessed with having the latest model or “coolest” brands. (I can look like David Beckham!…???) Have you noticed how smaller people tend to have bigger and faster cars? Also, more uninteresting people, with limited personality an critical sense, tend to have more gadgets? It’s the need to compensate your perceived weaknesses with material goods. It is also very wasteful. I do not know if a country like Japan can sustain this wasteful lifestyle (have you seen some of the packaging?)…
Thursday at 8:43 pm
Well, I have a Coach purse, a Fossil watch, a Apple Macintosh, and an iPod.
Unfortunately, I have to spend a lot of nice clothes because I’m tall (175cm) and not stick thin like the women here.
I do wish Victoria’s Secret was here, I just love their bras!!!
Thursday at 9:38 pm
I like a very much Japanese and Japan
Is a cool country of the wolrd !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday at 10:30 pm
watashi ha koronbia jin desu, ima bogota ni imasu, watashi no machi de, brand-mania ha arimasen to omoimasu ne.
Felipe.
Thursday at 11:46 pm
The into and explanations on the review track are killing me guys. 100% unnecessary, very annoying if you listen often. And I really loved their used to be example sentences. Now you are making really nice ones on the PDF’s, but not reading them in the review. Synergy brothers!
Giovanni I think I share your frustration with things like brands and conformity in Japan.
I think its little harsh though, because Japanese culture is one that drills conformity as culture into kids from a young age. I think you have to measure things on a different yard stick. Japans schools, and public mentality is extremely parental, and I think Yes people do really lack individuality/expression/critical opinions as a result, and many people wouldn’t want to give that up either. They are more regulated, more “parented” .
The younger generation of Japanese even up till mid 30’s seems entirely different to me than older Japanese. A whole lot less conservative, and naive about things in a lot of ways.
Brand names a definitely a step in the wrong direction. Japan is due for a expressive/lovey/Hippy movement. I hope it comes Ha yeah! Thats what I’de like to see.
Plus come on, these brand names remind me of beat street skanks. And now of all the shady back alley host bars I find at every train station, even in the county. I see a girl with a louiWhatever bag and think ” Too bad a creepy old man bought that for her. Even if thats not true i still think that.
Japan should do better! America and other countries too.
Hey guys - We can do it!
haha dont hate me!
Friday at 2:24 am
いるわよ!でも、レベルは違うと思う。シンガポールで洋服よりアクセサリを持っている女達のほうが多いです。ブランドアクセサリをもっている男の人もたくさんあります。私の兄はそういう人です。ハハハハ。私にとって、ブランドは関係ない。電気製品のほうがもっと好きです。iPhone がほしい!!!!!!!!!
Friday at 4:08 am
私は服や靴や鞄のブランドに興味があまりないけど、コンピューターや携帯ならアップルだけです!化粧のブランドも大事なことだと思うけど私の顔を見てブランドはどっちかもちろん当てられません。
「ブランドマニア」は主にアジアのことではないでしょうか?パリのChamps Elyséesにあるルイヴィトンの本店なら毎日朝から夜まで列に並ぶ人はたくさんいますよ。その中には殆ど皆は東洋人です(日本人だけではないのに)
Friday at 6:15 am
JP101!
I don’t pay attention to the brands, I just look people in the eyes and see there soul. I use cheap clothes avaliable because I not going to throw my cash to the trash for expensive clothes that is the label your buying and it’s the same thing every year change clothes.
I will make a exception with Japan because for me it’s the #1 in real Fashion!
Thanks! S_R_C
Friday at 10:19 am
giovanniさん> I’ve heard these kinds of arguments against brands before - interesting commentary. Thanks for commenting!
Jennyさん> That’s a nice collection of brand items
Andral さん>Glad to hear it
felipeさん> Brand Mania wa amari nai desu ka? Felipe-san wa burando ga suki desu ka?
FortFukushimaさん> Thanks for the feedback! I also see a big difference in the attitudes of different generations here. It’s really interesting to see how they wll change!
ニナさん>シンガポールではアクセサリのほうが人気なんですね
コメントありがとうございます!
プチクレアさん> “パリのChamps Elyséesにあるルイヴィトンの本店なら毎日朝から夜まで列に並ぶ人はたくさんいますよ。その中には殆ど皆は東洋人です。”
へーちょっと意外です。でも確かにブランドは、欧米よりアジアで人気が高い気がしますね。
そうなんですか
Sindy RCさん> Japan does have interesting fashion ね
Friday at 11:20 am
日本で「ブランド」はとても大きなビジネスです。理由の一つに、「安心」を買っているのだ・・・と言う人もいます。
たとえば、質の良い物は長く使うことができますし、修理もしてくれます。
ブランドが好きな人にも理由があるのだと思いますよ。
Friday at 12:18 pm
そうですよね。たぶんそれはべつべつの国(正しい?)の文化だと思います。
Friday at 2:23 pm
ブランドだから好きではなくて、きちんとした理由があって、特定のブランドが好きなら、いいと思います!
FortFukushima-san,
As for sample sentences, you can hear the audio from the learning center!
Thank you for your feedback!
Friday at 6:12 pm
ニナ-san
If you change べつべつ →それぞれ, your sentence would be perfect!!!
Friday at 8:05 pm
Well, I have heard the story that brand product are of better quality. I just laugh when I hear that. That is why brands where invented so that we switch off our ability to judge the real quality of things. Usually brands such as ipods have built in obsolescence, which means they are designed to break down relatively soon. Not that there is any need as after a year you start to look like a dinosaur if you do not buy the new models…
A lot of stuff is actually never used!
Remember coca cola when they launched the new brand of “pure” bottled water Dasani? It turns out it was filtered water from the river Thames and local taps with level of carcinogenic chemicals above the legal limit. They charged it at 3000 times its cost! In the end they had to withdraw it…
I just love what the company had to say about this “debacle”:
“Dasani was a lifestyle drink, a drink you would want to be seen with, the source was all but irrelevant”
So don’t get me started on this…
Saturday at 12:16 am
Thanks Naomi-san!
Saturday at 5:57 am
JP101!
No I don’t fall asleep when I see people in the eyes but I really feel sorry for the poor souls that fall for brands and those unnecesary accesories. When I meant about real Fashion I said that Western clothes are fake and that Japan is the country that has what is really necesary to have and buy but sometimes they also exagerate and get whim too.
S_R_C
Saturday at 11:27 am
Naomi先生> 「安心」ってどんな安心ですか?「高級ブランドですからよく使われる」、あるいは「他の人がこの高級ブランドを買っているので私もその高級ブランドを買ったら出る釘にならないのにまちがいない」ということかしら。
Just in case I wasn’t clear, I’m wondering what kind of “anshin” people are buying. Is it the “brand names mean I’ll get good use of it” or is it “everyone else is buying it, so if I buy it I won’t be the ‘nail sticking out’” kind of “anshin”?
よろしくお願いします。
Saturday at 2:22 pm
if you have an extra money why not buy branded products besides this is a gift to yourself…….branded products makes you feel good……and this is the fruit of your labor after working hard……….And the quality of branded products are really best…..i love japanese fashion
Sunday at 11:05 am
I found the lesson challenging.
However, high fashion is really for people who need much help to feel good about themselves.
Monday at 9:04 pm
ここは大阪と違うかもしれませんね
私は大阪に住んでいたころ、
「これは、1000円やで!何処どこの売り尽くしセールでこおたやねん。場所、教えてあげようか?」
と誇っている人々をよく見かけましたよ。
財布の値段が、私が入れる札より高かったら、買わないよね。
Tuesday at 10:44 am
タネ-san
そういう意味ではないですよ。
「例えば」の後に書きましたが、「質がいいだろうな」「長く使えるだろうな」・・・という安心感のことです。
サム-san
そうですね。そういう人もたくさんいますね。I loved the OSAKA-BEN phrase you wrote!!
Tuesday at 4:58 pm
Sometimes brand items are actually better quality than high street. Just saying. I mean, who wouldn’t love to wear haute couture to a prom? I think a lot of the people who do buy brands wear them conspicuously, to be noticed and appear wealthy, but more people should pay attention to the actual designs behind the brands. Some of the clothing created is actually breathtaking. For example, John Galliano for Dior is stunning, and the hand-painted floral dresses of Dolce & Gabbana some seasons ago? Fabulous!
The monogram bags and all in comparison are rather boring. But that’s my personal opinion.
Tuesday at 4:59 pm
I also disagree that high fashion is purely for people who need much help to feel better about themselves. If you are a fan of haute couture, isn’t that like collecting Picasso or da Vinci?
Tuesday at 9:06 pm
Dee,
How do you start a da Vinci collection?
Tuesday at 10:15 pm
Hi,
I`ve just joined and this is the first lesson I`ve looked at. It`s great and I have a few new words already, however one thing is bothering me… The pop-up player doesn`t pause instantly, and so I can`t stop it exactly at a point - it takes a bit of time to pause and so catches the begining of the next phrase.
Also, since the PAUSE button slides across to the left to become a PLAY button, it means that one has to keep moving the cursor to a new position to start/stop audo which I find very distracting - I want to concentrate on the lesson!
I`d be a lot happier with a PLAY/PAUSE button that stops the audio instantly, and doesn`t keep moving about!
Keep up the great work! (Especially for the intermediates
)
Abbass.
Wednesday at 12:18 am
Abbass-san,
Thank you for your feedback. Keep enjoying those intermediate lessons.
Thursday at 8:04 am
「今や、女子大生や女子高生であっても、ひとつ3万円はするルイヴィトンの財布」の「はする」は財布の高い値段を強調していますか。よく分かりません…
Thursday at 1:20 pm
Jeff-san
三万円します=It cost 30.000 yen.
三万円は(やすくても)します。=It cost 30.000yen at the cheapest (or at least)
“[amount]+は” で At least という意味が入ることがあります。
So…
明日のイベントに100人はきます。=We’re expecting at least 100 people coming to the event tomorrow.
I hope this makes sense.
Monday at 3:57 pm
[…] Learn Japanese – Tokyo Fashion Files #4: Crazy About Brands中でもルイヴィトンの人気は不動の地位を築いています。青山や表参道の大通りでほんの10分散歩をすれば、ルイヴィトンのバッグを手に持つ女性を必ず見ることができるといっても過言ではありません。今や、女子大生や女子高生であっても、ひとつ3万円はする …. 日本で「ブランド」はとても大きなビジネスです。理由の一つに、「安心」を買っているのだ・・・と言う人もいます。 たとえば、質の良い物は長く使うことができますし、修理もしてくれます。 ブランドが好きな人にも理由があるのだと思いますよ。 … […]
Saturday at 9:03 am
[…] – @ 20six.fr Posted in 11月 21st, 2009 By admin No Comments » Filed under:ファッション記事 […]
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