When it comes to fashion, art, and design, Tokyo has become one of the world’s trendsetters. But for a moment in 1976, Los Angeles was Tokyo’s muse. That was thanks to a Japanese pop culture and fashion magazine called “Popeye.” For its first issue, the editors put out a glossy anthropological survey of Los Angeles life, mainly youth culture: skateboarding, surfing and a lot of UCLA gear. That issue became a cultural sensation, and formed an idealized vision of LA in the minds of millions of Japanese people. It’s been 40 years, but that issue is back on newsstands after the publisher chose to reprint it, and again, it’s a sensation in Tokyo.
KCRW
