About:

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Furugi(古着) is the Japanese word for used/second-hand clothes, literally meaning old(furu/古) clothes(gi/着). The trend started from the Vintage Boom in late Showa era, and now, vintage shops and thrift shops are very huge in Japan. It is even considered fashionable and high-level to dress oneself in this kind of fashion. One can find these stores in famous fashion streets such as Harajuku's Cat Street, and there are areas specialized in Furugi fashion like Kichijoji, Koenji, Daikanyama, and Shimo-Kitazawa. Even huge fast fashion retails such as WEGO or SPINNS have their own section of used items.

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As every item is one of a kind, it is hard to describe it; but recent trends show tendency in the combination of shirts (either polo shirt, golf shirt, plaid shirt) with denims.Recently, `Remake (リメイク)` clothes, a practice to DIY and remake used clothes to fit current trends, are also trending. 

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History: After the World War II, Japanese people faced poverty and this lead to the import of used clothes from America. At first, used clothing was only based on the fact and demand that people lack clothes, but from the 1950s, it had some fashion aspects. People who like music and people who are interested in hippies, etc. started to look for old-fashioned American styles that could not be found in normal brands at that time. In this time, several "old clothes stores" appeared in Harajuku.

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The vintage boom came in the bubble era (1970s). This time, a vintage denim pants made 150 years before was said to be sold at the price tag of 2 million yen. After this, old clothes that was perceived as not 'pure' became fashionable. Even manufacturers purposely made new products that looked like vintage / old clothes. Since this era, thrift shops are not only a small business, it became a nationwide business. Nowadays, there are many thrift chains all over Japan and you can find one anywhere.

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​Reference: http://www.jura.or.jp/history

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Shops: KINJI, 2nd Street, RAGTAG, Flamingo, Chicago, ZOZOUSED, etc

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Ambassadors: mer (fashion magazine), Furugi Joshi (fashion magazine), etc