The Tamesis
Looking for a coveted Fall 1991 Yohji Yamamoto Homme leather jacket or an elusive fanny pack from Louis Vuitton’s 1996 collaboration with Vivienne Westwood? Look no further than Casanova Vintage Ginza, one of four branches of the Casanova Vintage series in Tokyo. Located in Tokyo’s famed shopping district, the vintage retailer is known for sourcing ultra-rare pieces that have caught the eye of even the most discerning collectors, including best-dressed regulars like Rihanna, A$AP Rocky and Pharrell.
Attracting such an A-list clientele also requires cultivating your own taste, especially in a city like Tokyo where the supply of well-maintained and coveted vintage pieces is perhaps the most saturated it has ever been. Creating a must-visit place requires personality and passion, and Casanova Vintage manager Casanova Benkei has no shortage of both. “I’ve been collecting things I love for ten years, and now they’re all here,” said Casanova Benkei, manager of Casanova Vintage.
Many pieces, such as the Hermès Kelly in rare Doblis (calfskin) or one of the 25 Kaws chairs made in collaboration with Fernando Campana, require years of patience and a lot of luck at auctions and private sales. Of the Yohji Yamamoto leather jacket, Benkei added: “I think it’s a miracle that we have a product like this.”
It’s easy to think that for such luxurious items, some of which require gloved handling, Casanova Vintage might take on a sterile and intimidating feel. However, Benkei dismisses such intimidating thoughts and wants people to come in, try on and feel the pieces, and even relax in one of the collector’s Kaws chairs if they so choose. With these quirky pieces, he hopes customers will have fun with them too.
Director: Mike Sander
Director of photography: Victor Ivanov
Editor: Mana Tagami
PUSH Executive Producer: Aimee Okamoto
PUSH Producer: Uraraka Ogasawara
Vogue Senior Producer: Bety Dereje
Creative Production Coordinator: Anisa Kennar
Assistant Videographer: Alex Witmer
Lighting Engineer: Seth Shaw
Audio: Masashige Sasaki
Photographer: Najim Kyari
Production Coordinator: Tania Jones
Production Manager: Christine Helmick
Producer: Natasha Soto-Olbers
Assistant Editor: Billy Ward
Colorist: Oliver Elder
Post-production coordinator: Holly Frew
Supervising Editor: Cameron Key
Post-production supervisor: Alexa Deutsch
“Vogue” Japan Edition Fashion Editor: Saori Yoshida
“Vogue” Executive Producer: Rahel Gebreyes
Senior Director of Video: Romy van den Broeke
Senior Director of Programming: Linda Gittleson
Vice President of Video Programming: Thespena Guatieri
Image courtesy Columbus Museum of Art, Friedman Benda and KAWS x Campana, Daniel Kukla
Shooting location: Casanova Vintage Ginza
