Onitsuka Tiger turns 60 with "Made of Japan"

Speaking of books, Onitsuka Tiger celebrates its 60th birthday with a commemorative sports-centric book-like magazine titled, "MADE OF JAPAN".

Made of Japan with traditional book-binding method, "ito-toji"

Founded in 1949 (post-war Japan) by Kihachiro Onitsuka, Onitsuka Tiger later became ASICS (Anima Sana in Corpore Sano) who is one of the fifth largest sportswear brands in the world.

MADE OF JAPAN is spread across 260 pages, featuring the brand’s origins and its future. A collaboration with Zoo magazinne, it documents the brand's influence on artists, athletes and opinion leaders in Japan, the USA and Europe.

The bookazine presents 30 cult icons such as Chiharu Shiota (performance and installation artist), Naomi Yotsumoto (Ping-Pong player), Yusuke Iseya (former model and one of Japan’s most loved actors), Hirofumi Kurino (Japanese fashion industry expert), Thomas Demand (German artist, renowned for his Japanese Origami-inspired by 3D photographs) and former world champion athletes Dave Cowens and Lasse Virén.

Dave Cowen - Basketball legend

Naomi Yotsumoto - stylish ping pong player

10,000 issues were printed and distributed amongst exclusive shops in Japan, the USA and Europe on 1 September 2009.

There is also an even limited edition version that comes with a silk-screened box & a carton sleeve with a laser-cut Tiger motif. With only 250 available, you can get it exclusively from Tokyo Artbeat who ships worldwide.

Fashion Doll Barbie's 50th Birthday

1959

now?

Guess what?

It's Barbie's 50th birthday!

As a doll, Barbie has been through much accusations, law-suits, and controversies, even more than a real human-being; From sending the wrong signals to young girls on the nearly unnatural hourglass figure, to taking legal actions against Danish band, Aqua, for mocking at Barbie, to breaking up with her long-time boyfriend, Ken in 2000 - Barbie has indeed live it all.

This year, Barbie will be participating in her first-ever runway show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York on February 14, 2009. For the very first time, we will witness 50 world-renowned fashion designers come together and showcase real-size, Barbie®-inspired looks at Bryant Park. In this monumental fashion celebration designers will celebrate the past, present and future of fashion, as inspired by Barbie® doll, first launched in 1959 as the "Teenage Fashion Model™."

The Runway show will be webcast live via Barbie.com.

Barbie will be receiving a birthday gift (we heard it's pink Pumps) from Christian Louboutin.

Some of Barbie's designer wardrobe from the past include Bill Blass, Oscar De La Renta, Dior, Carolina Hererra, Vera Wang, Zac Posen, just to name a few.

Image source: www.vogue.co.uk

Row 1 (From left): Bill Blass, Dior, Oscar De La Renta
Row 2: Vera Wang, Juicy Couture, Carolina Herrera
Row 3: Monique Lhuillier, Versace, Zac Posen

In Singapore, we too had our very own "Doll Me Up" exhibition in 2005, that showcased a pool of local designers' (Federick Lee, Daniel Yam, Frances Cheong) interpretation of the doll, as well as students' entries on the contest.

The exhibition was first seen in the Singapore Art Museum and later in Changi Airport.