The Armoury in Japan - W. David Marx, Author of Ametora, on Fashion, Culture and Living in Japan

David is one of the most interesting people we know. He wrote Ametora, an incredible history of American fashion in Japan, and will soon be releasing a new book on the dynamics of status and culture. We caught up with him in Tokyo to talk about his work and living in Japan.
Apologies in advance for the dodgy lighting!
Check out David's newsletter here - culture.ghost.io/

[@kenneth7826]

Mark you are an excellent interviewer....you let people talk

[@markchodotcom]

Thanks, Kenneth! It makes my life easier, too, haha!

[@Kayn123]

Great convo. Thanks for doing this one Mark!

[@charlesuneze4920]

I absolutely enjoyed the interview.

[@Paulfohthesalescoach]

Mark you are an amazing interviewer wow, and David your writing schedule was truly helpful

[@markchodotcom]

Thank you, I'm glad you found it helpful!

[@famine92]

Happy to find this interesting and calm interview. Refreshing and also lovely that you let David develop this thoughts and share all this. Also that suit David Marx is wearing is right up my alley. I know it has been a while since the interview, but I'd love some details on it. He looks very comfortable in it and the fabric seems great, so especially would appreciate an info on what kind of fabric/weave that is? Looks a bit like a cotton suit or maybe a fine cord (my eyes seem to get worse and worse...).

[@thesportingprofessor3011]

Really interesting discussion. As a social scientist, the idea of status driving culture is fascinating!

[@markchodotcom]

I think the book is going to be great, potentially an important bit of thinking on the mechanisms of status, culture and wealth and quite revealing given how society is being shaped by algorithms.

[@thesportingprofessor3011]

@@markchodotcom I totally agree--I look forward to reading it! thanks for the great content!

[@darkaghiless91]

a nice conversation

[@jeffwu1590]

Mark. You ask great questions

[@markchodotcom]

Thank you!

[@arthurford829]

Mark, you’re definitely hitting your stride as an interviewer. Asking the right questions and letting the subject expound without interrupting. When you talk, you’re already saying something you alarmed at know. When you listen you might learn something new.

[@markchodotcom]

Thank you! Yes, I see no need to talk too much in these interviews. People are watching more for the interviewee than for the interviewer. It helps that most of our interviewees speak intelligently and concisely, too!

[@sheag8726]

Ametora made me read books.

[@markchodotcom]

Me too

[@Jimmysajbel]

Do you have any recommendations? I just finished Ametora

[@sheag8726]

​@@Jimmysajbel ​ I suppose it depends on your interests. David Marx's new book is out but there's plenty of other people in the classic menswear scene with noteworthy books (Hugo Jacomet, G. Bruce Boyer etc) and I think Mark did a series on book recommendations for ArmouryTV too. I've still not delved that deep into any particular subject so I guess you'd just have to see what's out there.

[@charlesuneze4920]

Lovely, Shea

[@Jimmysajbel]

@shea g thank you so much!

[@krishnakanthcake]

Man cool video

[@Heart.Maldives]

yup that green is similar but different

[@animeboitiddies6146]

On the sociological point, what do you make of the sort of growth of contrarian culture online? I know I'm not the only one driven to sports jackets and ties specifically because its uncool and I happen to enjoy being distinctly not part of the crowd.

[@markchodotcom]

Man ... that's a long pub convo if there ever was one. Contrarian culture was a thing because people used to have much smaller, more geographically small circles. Now that you can extend anyone's reach anywhere, does contrarianism even exist? Do shared experiences exist?

[@animeboitiddies6146]

@@markchodotcom i feel like contrarian culture is almost turning in on itself these days, less like the Ouroboros and more ever fractaling out into ever more niche articles of contrarianism. people react against the norm and then their own react against them and then a subset of them react against them ad infinitum until people are mocking each other for holding the popular opinion on a forum with 10 people on it. if nothing else i think its an incentive to keep some measure of creativity alive in an increasingly trend driven internet.

[@gregorythomas2674]

Didnt mention original books success or availability in the US. Will have to see if I can track it down.

[@markchodotcom]

We mention it quite late in the interview, check Amazon for it. I saw they have a deal on it on Kindle, it's 5 bucks!

[@gregorythomas2674]

@@markchodotcom Grazie mille Mark! Great conversation! Please keep up the great work and being an ongoing resource for style and sophistication!

[@utubemat33]

Mind telling us what David is wearing? Looking sharp here!

[@TheArmourytv]

David is wearing his olive cotton piece by Tailor Caid

[@animeboitiddies6146]

he mentions japanese delinquent culture circa 2010 and all i can think of is a certain movie about a boy dressed in all black and his kurt cobain obsessed gf

[@markchodotcom]

What movie? Please educate me, I don't get the reference ...

[@animeboitiddies6146]

@@markchodotcom Love exposure, its a 6 hour long experience like no other

[@mrCORSA]

How is NFT not a status symbol? You pay for a virtual “token”. With the NFT, you get into certain clubs, groups, gatherings, networks, etc.

[@TheArmourytv]

I''m sure there are many arguments you could make as well for why NFTs are a status symbol, however if you would like to dive into this topic more I'd encourage you to read David's take on this on his blog here culture.ghost.io/art-versus-commerce-in-the-nft-era/

[@user-qk5ft8eo8t]

:)

[@winstonchua9968]

Athletic socks?

[@thePowerPlant]

Haha! That is true ametora right there. It was touched on it in the talk. Having money, but trying to look like you do not have it is somewhat common idea throughout.

[@derhochwohlgeborene8548]

I usually like these but this guy seems so pretentious. His statement that he is the first to write about status and culture is absurd. Has he not heard of Pierre Bourdieu?

[@thomascafe8616]

He cites bourdieu in his book, so im gonna say yes.

[@drakelondon6849]

Please someone get this poor guy a cough drop. Painful to listen to!

[@williamcoolidge9884]

Disagree 100%