Capturing the stylish atmosphere of Koenji at night

This article appears in Made in Japan, Vol. 4.
To read the full article, click here.

IIt’s a Friday night in Koenji. Workers pour out of the station and across the street, and the sound of acoustic guitars wafts through the warm air. A group of young people begins to gather noisily around a saxophone player, and a skateboarder tries to perform a trick but loses his balance. Someone shouts in the distance; the passing salarymen don’t even blink.

Koenji is a free-spirited neighborhood that was the birthplace of Japanese punk music, with streets full of independent shops and underground performances that have attracted generations of artists and musicians. The small-town vibe here is the result of a slow redevelopment that has shunned other places (at least for now), partly due to the fact that the JR Chuo Line only stops here regularly, and strong anti-gentrification sentiment among locals. Guidebooks often compare it to the trendy neighborhood Shimokitazawa, as the streets are full of vintage shops during the day, but Koenji really comes alive at night.

Photographer Lilise agrees, and last year she created the Instagram account “Koenji Fashion Snap” to capture the area’s unique and chaotic energy. Often shot at night and flooded with flash, Lilise’s photos capture the bustle of DIY culture like an after-get off work love child. fruit magazines and house parties during the indie-pulp era. While her work is clearly informed by the rich legacy of Japanese street fashion photography, her images still feel refreshingly new.

In an age of overly polished feeds and memetic “irony” from high-fashion brands, the informality of Lilise’s subjects brings a real magic: modern photography that takes time hang outLiving locally, I sought her out to discuss fashion, subcultures, and late-night adventures.

Full interview with Koenji fashion photographer Lilise

What inspired you to start documenting Koenji’s street fashion?

Late one night, I was sitting outside listening to street musicians and a guy next to me started talking about how Koenji didn’t have a dedicated street style photography account. I thought it was a great idea, so I hopped on my friend’s bike, grabbed my camera and started taking pictures. It was 4am.

Your late night fashion photos really stand out from other street style accounts. Why do you choose to shoot at night?

Koenji has a lively nightlife, with people sitting together in their favorite fashions, chatting and drinking with strangers. There’s a certain energy that comes from chance encounters, so I look forward to shooting in these late night and early morning hours. There’s an area outside Koenji Station where people of different ages, genders, and nationalities gather and hang out. When shooting in this relaxed environment, I often share a drink with my subjects. This helps to establish an equal, more intimate relationship, allowing me to capture their natural selves.

What kind of people attract or excite you and make good subjects for photographing? What kind of clothing do you consider appropriate?

I seek out people who have interesting items – whether they are refurbished, homemade, creatively accessorized or inherited from a family member. Fashion that expresses personal uniqueness excites me.

What are your photography or art influences?

On the first night, I took a fruit magazine and my camera, thinking, “This could be like a midnight edition of fruitI didn’t really read the book in the 90s, but I appreciate its legacy. I read every issue in Japanese when I was growing up. Elle GirlUnlike other fashion magazines at the time, Elle Girl Sometimes, the branches will be partially
Even though the photos are blurry, the magazine still manages to capture the essence and vibe of fashion. I love the dedication to fashion that is evident in the magazine. Elle GirlPhotography and design.

What do you think the future of streetwear will look like?

Looking back at the history of street fashion, many areas and streets are closely tied to their associated styles, requiring common norms and identities that are closely tied to these places. Koenji’s “Ring Road” (the paved area outside the station) is more than just a street, it also functions as a plaza, becoming a place where various cultures gather and merge, and therefore more free.

Although fashion styles and trends are becoming more superficial and consumerist, young people still pursue serendipitous encounters and have the power to discover for themselves. I think as long as people have this desire, street fashion will continue to find new meanings.

Follow Koenji Fashion Snap on Instagram here.

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