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.

Where to find good Fashion Books?

Over the weekend, someone who barely knows me gave this to me as a gift. It's one of those fashion-related books that you can rarely find on typical shelves of the bookstores here. So unsurprisingly, it was the last one standing at Kinokuniya (one of the better ones that brings in a reasonable range of good fashion books).

Dior by Dior The Autobiography of Christian Dior

We know it can be a pain looking for good fashion books in Singapore, they are either too commercialised, or overly reprinted and copied. But if you really love fashion books, try making a trip down to Basheer or PageOne at Vivocity, the offerings are quite impressive with the former giving discount to existing fashion students!