It's been a busy month for the Tokyo style scene, with a flurry of high-profile store openings culminating in an unveiling of the monumental Omotesando Hills that coincided with extravagant 100th anniversary bashes for luxury pen brand Mont Blanc and jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels. All this meant a punishing agenda for the beautiful people, who were obliged to down gallons of champagne and schmooze for all they were worth night after night.
But these parties do get rather repetitive. The consensus among those in the business of selling luxury is that plying tastemakers with alcohol and ritzy finger food is the best way to inculcate reverence for a brand -- and not many seem willing to break the formula of a glorified buffet accompanied by a DJ spinning unobtrusive dance music. And why not? Regular partygoers need a pleasant arena in which to air-kiss and make their own fun, and they wouldn't want it it any other way.
It's notable that while the guests at these sorts of events tend to be cosmopolitan types, the typical Tokyo launch differs from its Western equivalent by featuring good manners among attendees, less endemic snobbery and a welcome absence of drunken dancing. They may be taller over there, but at least Tokyo has decorum.