I’m loving all the details worked into these Red Pepper jeans. The stitching, zippers, studs, and chaotic distress patterns are the kinds of features that you’d expect from a highly stylized pair of Japanese jeans.

The look is reminiscent of LA’s denim scene, and in certain ways Osaka can be seen as the West Coast equivalent for streetwear fashion in Japan. In comparison, Tokyo often shows a more sophisticated and conservative dress code that can be found in world cities like New York and Paris. Indeed, the rest of Japan seems to think that the people of Osaka lack refinement in both their dress and mannerism – and Osaka’s dwellers hardly disagree! Known for their loud, expressive and somewhat aggressive behavior, Osaka remains true to her merchant roots, and what these people seemingly lack in taste, they compensate with personality and humor.

Like, if a 50-year old Mama-san wearing shredded jeans and a shirt covered in skulls and pistols wants to know if you’re waiting in line or simply loitering near a checkout till, she’ll likely elbow her way past you muttering something about your greasy forehead and nauseating odor. And god bless her. This is the real Osaka they didn’t mention in the travel brochure!