Closing the Route to the East

Though I'm late recording their passing, a world of armchair designers will nonetheless continue to mourn the loss of PingMag, an online journal of the artistic explorations of Japan. After operating for 3.5 years, PingMag revealed to those of us in the naive West that what we thought about art could easily be turned on its ear, but in quite a classy way.

Luckily, the site remains present, archiving all of its past articles, which include articles on fashion, music, architecture, animation and illustration, and even typography. Those seeking exotic inspiration should drop in and browse.

I originally discovered PingMag while researching the Japanese hakama, a pleated, wide-legged pant worn traditionally by some martial artists (see right). Keep your eyes on CH in the future for my instruction on how to adapt this garment for a casual summer or beach look with an exotic flair. I can guarantee that no one will be wearing these in your neighborhood.