Along its mission to engage with the many talents from its global network, One Block Downs is proud to reveal its latest collaborative editorial with digital magazine Sabukaru. Based in Tokyo, Japan, we have connected with the ever-evolving platform to bring our audience closer to an endless catalogue of unique cultural learnings.

Prior to European contact, surfing was a central component of ancient Polynesia. Class division was rife in pre-contact Hawaii, whereby all aspects of society were predetermined by their laws known as “code of kapu”. These rules included where you could surf and instructions for how long surfboards could be. Those of the lower-class had to have 12-foot boards, whereas the upper-class members of society were able to have 24-foot boards. With these codes in place, the ruling class had the advantage of having the best boards, and the best beaches.The most skilled surfers were often chiefs and warriors of the upper-class and it was their ability to master the waves that was used to prove themselves and gain respect amongst their peers.

The people of ancient Hawaii did not consider surfing as simply a recreational hobby. Rather, over the centuries, Hawaiians integrated “he’e nalu” (wave sliding sessions) as a sacred practice into the very fabric of their culture. Surfing sessions began before entering the ocean as Hawaiians prayed to the gods for protection to undertake the mysterious and powerful ocean. If the ocean was tamed, surfers would call upon the kahuna (priest) to aid them in a prayer asking the gods to deliver a thrilling surf. The priest would also help the surfers (mainly of the upper class) undertake the spiritual ceremony for constructing a surfboard. This ceremony included selecting one of three types of trees and digging the tree out in order to place a fish in the hole as an offering to the gods for promising “he’e nalu” (surf).

Fortunately, a few faithful surfers managed to keep the tradition alive during the height of European colonialism. It was not until Waikiki became a tourist destination that surfing saw a resurgence in popularity. Particularly wealthy Americans came to the beach and saw the locals occasionally surfing and wanted to try it. The famous writer Mark Twain, who’s best known works are “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” unsuccessfully attempted surfing in 1866, but went on to describe the “soul-cleansing” nature of being on a board and waiting for a wave. In 1907, Jack London, another best-selling writer, visited Hawaii for holidays and after taking a few surf lessons, enthusiastically wrote about his experience in an essay titled: “A Royal Sport”.

During this time, Hawaiians started their own club called Hui Nalu (meaning "Club of the Waves"). As news of surfing began to spread, locals in Waikiki began giving lessons and demonstrations for tourists. This upsurge in interest eventually gave birth to the renowned Waikiki Beach Boys, a group of mostly Hawaiians credited with the rebirth of surfing in Hawaii. The Waikiki Beach Boys were known for hanging out at the beach, surfing, and teaching affluent tourists how to ride waves. Eventually, Hawaii’s tourism industry began to change as average U.S. citizens, and not just moneyed people were able to travel to the Islands. It was only a matter of time until surfing was democratized and anyone that was keen on learning had the ability to do so.

In 1907, George Freeth, also known as the man who can walk on water, was brought to California from Hawaii to demonstrate surfboard riding to promote the opening of the industrialist Henry Huntington’s newly developed Los Angeles-Redondo-Huntington railroad. Freeth surfed at the Huntington Beach pier, travelling up and down the coast demonstrating surfing and lifeguard skills, which had a large role in solidifying the surfing consciousness in California. And during the 20th century, surfing experienced a complete renaissance by finding its way to mainland USA and unknowingly ushering in the golden age of surfing.

As surfing caught on in California during the 1960s, its popularity quickly spread through American pop culture via channels such as film and music. Several mid-20th century moviessuch as “Gidget”, “Beach Party”, and “Ride the Wild Surf” created a frenzy among American youth who began to think of California sun and surfing as a dream life, while also helping quell anxieties surrounding the Vietnam War. The surf frenzy was also fueled by early records from bands like The Beach Boys, who famously wore the woolen over-shirts that surfers would eventually adopt to battle colder conditions.

Interestingly, surfing’s impact extends beyond the waves. Surfers in California turned to sidewalk surfboards (what became the skateboard) when the waves were flat, and they needed something to do. And to more closely emulate the feeling of being in waves, surfers would sneak into empty backyard swimming pools to keep things stimulating. Eventually, surfing also made its way to snow with the invention of the “snurfer” — a board that could surf on snow — and was the first commercially available snowboard.

When it came to fashion however, surf wear found its identity in the ‘50s and was largely defined by a functional and minimalist approach. Instead of wearing the fitted, high-riding, and belted bathing suits that were popular at the time, surfers gravitated towards simple lifeguard trunks for increased mobility. In many ways, surfer fashion also had a DIY flair to it, like the cut-off jean shorts to help them get in and out of their clothes with ease.

Most of the surf wear aesthetic was minimalist in nature because surfers wanted to save as much time whenever they transitioned into the water from the beach. As a result, “easy to maneuver through” garments such as white t-shirts, cable-knit sweaters, denim jeans, and aloha shirts became a mainstay on the shores amongst surfers. The ability to navigate the shores effectively is what led to a contrarian style that resisted many of the mainstream trends at the time.

Surfing has made significant strides throughout the industry and continues to play a pivotal role in structuring the attitude and style of subcultures that continue to have a presence in the 21st century. Consider one of the most famous streetwear brands of all time: Stüssy. In the late-80s and early-90s, Shawn Stussy, an avid surfer, started his brand in the Southern California surf scene by screen printing T-shirts and surfboards. Eventually, Stüssy swept through the industry and redefined the look and philosophy of casualwear as we know it today. The designs and overall aesthetic touched on references from a range of subcultures that resonated with the brand’s DNA. This amassed a worldwide network of creative youth who shared a common interest in surf-culture and skating.It then went on to grow from surf culture and steadily revolutionize the fashion industry, paving the way for what we now know as streetwear.

Much of Japanese surf wear has adopted similar beats with its American counterpart and follows the same trajectory that characterizes the unique cultural interplay between the United States and Japan. As Japan is known for respecting the heritage and craftsmanship that defines a tradition, much of this can be found in the way in which Japan assimilated Surf culture.

Sabukaru: Much of the conversation surrounding your book “Ametora” highlights the way in which Japan assimilated and integrated American fashion. What is the difference between assimilation and appropriation? Does the unique historical cultural interplay between these two countries help elucidate the differences in any meaningful ways?

Marx: In the case of American fashion in Japan, on the surface it looks like “assimilation,” but only in terms of material goods. Yes, Japanese youth didn’t wear blue jeans, then they did. But the meaning of those jeans in Japan was not the same as the U.S. Japan shows that you can have an assimilation of forms without an assimilation of values.Meanwhile “appropriation” is too broadly used to mean any cultural borrowing or influence. We should limit the use of the word to when a powerful majority exploits the cultural innovation of a minority culture for some sort of economic or political gain. Not all borrowing is appropriation. When a less powerful group uses the cultural conventions of a powerful group for their own purposes, that isn’t appropriation. So in the case of Japan borrowing and tinkering with American style, this wouldn’t qualify as appropriation. For most of the 20th century, Japan had a subordinate position to the U.S.

A lot of the fashion choices in surf culture unintentionally revolved around making surf life easier. Loose sweaters and cut off shorts were easy ways to get from the beach and into the water. Japan embraced this ideal and can be found in the successful Japanese clothing brand Battenwear, founded by the designer Shinya Hasegawa. As a year-round surfer, Shinya’s passion for surfing made him gravitate towards designing clothing that is versatile, multi-functional and most importantly, comfortable. Through Battenwear, Shinya was able to reinforce the idea that, when it comes to surf wear, it is more about efficiency through functionality than it is an aesthetic.

Sabukaru: Your book has garnered widespread appreciation, and on the other hand, it has set in motion an important discussion concerning the nature and process of intercultural exchange. What was the impetus for this topic, and what were you able to learn from it?

Marx: I wrote my senior thesis in college on the street fashion brand A Bathing Ape, looking at why they were under-supplying goods in hard-to-find stores and using no advertising. This was 2001, a few years before BAPE became a global phenomenon or Supreme “hypebeasts” made the scene well-known around the world. In the process of that research, I looked into the history of Japanese fashion, and I was surprised to see that Ivy League fashion in the 1960s was seen as a social menace. Around 2010, the 1965 Japanese photo book Take Ivy started to become famous in the US, and in Tokyo, I got to meet one of the writers, Shosuke Ishizu. That inspired me to think about doing a history of Take Ivy, and after talking to publishers, I ended up expanding the scope to the entire history of American fashion in Japan, including jeans, rock’n’roll, and street fashion.

Before I started the research, I didn’t know most of that history, and like many people, I assumed Japanese consumers fell in love with American fashion because they idolized “America,” but the real story is more complex. American fashion simply became a status symbol in Japan, increasingly detached from any aspirations towards the U.S. While everyone looked to American history as the reference point, American style had become a fully Japanese pursuit.

When you survey the internet and talk to people about what it means to be a surfer, you will notice that there isn’t much consensus. Surfing means different things to different people. Nonetheless, there are some commonalities across that define the subculture, and much of it revolves around a rejection of materialism, and a longing for a spiritual and existential lifestyle that is complementary to nature — one that primarily breaks the boundaries of industrialized consumerist complacency.

Sabukaru: Technology has reshaped our relationship to the world. The internet has accelerated this dynamic in unprecedented ways. In what ways have these technological and virtual worlds impacted the fashion industry? Are moments such as the rise of Ametora in Japan artifacts of the past as a result of the fast-paced hashtag culture we are embedded in?

Marx: The Internet has not been kind to Japan. Japanese organizations have been slow to digitize. In some ways, Japanese magazines and books already fulfilled the role of the Internet, collecting massive amounts of information from around the world on a constant basis — without the rest of the world having equal access to what was happening back in Japan. The “Ametora” story happened because Japan was taking influence from the West, but no one outside of Japan was noticing what was happening. And so things went into new and interesting directions. Now the Internet makes everything happening in Japan immediately observable and consumable. This has some obvious benefits: There is increased admiration and respect for Japanese creators. Japanese brands have more influence on global fashion than ever before. But it also means Japanese goods are a little less mysterious.

Sabukaru: When comparing sportswear to mid-20th century ivy staples, was there a specific historical event that facilitated a transition from formal wear to a wider acceptance of casual-sportswear in the public sphere? In the United States and Japan, sportswear has seen a 110% upsurge in sales. Does an upsurge of interest in sportswear say anything about the contemporary political, social or historical climate?

Marx: I recommend the scholar Deirdre Clemente’s book “Dress Casual”, which is about how elite American college students helped the U.S. become more and more casual in the 20th century. This has now escalated into a total program of de-formalization. Suits are rare. Neckties are curios. Billionaires wear athleisure. This is the obvious outcome of a rationalization mindset: Casual is more comfortable than formal clothing. There are positive aspects of this, but there’s a reason we have such adoration for the people in old movies and photos. Getting dressed up created a social space in which everyone looked their best.

Subcultures are a mirror to the human condition. The emergence of subcultures across countries such as the United States and the way in which countries across the globe such as Japan passionately incorporated it into their own, give us insight into the powerful ways that subcultures can act as a mirror, which reflect the social, historical, and psychological milieu of what it means to be human. The global success of the surfing subculture should not solely be understood in terms of its economic weight, but for its ability to provide a space that answers the apprehension and angst of individuals who do not feel satisfied with the reigning imposition of the modern cultural hegemony. From this perspective, subcultures can be a useful tool that can further aid in the journey towards improving the human condition through social reform.

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