When it comes to denim and vintage clothing, Japan has garnered a reputation for being home to some the best quality finds, and the most talented and experts, but none are quite as well versed as Yutaka Fujiwara.

Celebrities, designers and denim hunters with an eye for the elusive make the pilgrimage to his store whenever they're in Japan

Yutaka is the man behind iconic Harajuku vintage and denim store BerBerJin, which established in 1998 has remained the city's key destination for meticulously cared for and well-worn vintage denim sourced from across the globe. It's so well respected in fashion circles that celebrities, designers and denim hunters with an eye for the elusive make the pilgrimage to his store whenever they're in Japan, on the lookout for that one unique piece.

Yutaka's role in the international denim scene could be likened to somewhere between an art collector, carefully inspecting and valuing pieces us regular folk have no way of deciphering, and an archaeologist digging deep to document and share priceless long-forgotten denim relics bringing them back to life for the greater good.

As well as running BerBerJin, Yutaka also spearheads the Harajuku based Americana inspired vintage store Fake Alpha, runs multiple Instagram accounts dedicated to rare fashion finds, has published two books in collaboration with Levis and hosts a denim-centric Youtube channel that's managed to clock up over 22,000 subscribers in just two years.

When he's not juggling all those projects, you'll often find him within the pages of influential fashion and lifestyle magazines GQ, Pen Magazine, Popeye, sharing new information and lending his expert opinion.

Yutaka first discovered his passion for denim and vintage as a highschool student, exploring fashion magazines. Having worked in the industry for over two decades, he's now inspiring future collectors through his media presence and notably his book collaborations with Levis Jeans.

I wanted to create a well-researched informative book

His debut book The 501XX – A Collection of Vintage Jeans was released in 2015 as a way to document the iconic piece's history in one thoroughly researched compilation.

"Working vintage jeans I discovered a lot of misinformation online, I knew it was wrong, so I wanted to create a well-researched informative book," Yutaka explains. The hardcover book features glossy photos and detail about 51 unique and rare examples of vintage Levis, which he scoured the world to track down. "The book was so influential that once it came out, the price of the featured jeans went up," he says.

His latest collaboration with Levis, is Levis ® VINTAGE DENIM JACKETS TYPE l /TYPE ll /TYPE lll, an in-depth look at the world of vintage jean jackets. It’s just another addition to this man's impressive CV and further proof that Yutaka is the denim 'kami' (god) of Japan.

Yutaka Fujihara bio
Yutaka Fujihara was born in Kochi Prefecture in 1977. He is the director of iconic Harajuku based vintage fashion store ベルベルジン (BerberJin) and oversees the operations of Fake Alpha another Harajuku vintage store.

Considered one of the most knowledgeable masters of vintage clothing and denim in the industry, he boasts one of the best collections of jeans and jackets in the world.

He also created 'THE 501 ® XX – A COLLECTION OF VINTAGE JEANS (World Photo Press)', the Levis approved official book of 501 ® XX and works as an advisor for the L.A. denim brand .

For more information on his work visit: http://www.berberjin.com