Miura argues that growing numbers of women taking home annual salaries of 10
million or more, and are rigid in their fashion demands. These women are, he
says, the Millionairesses. Then there are the Kamayatsu Onna, women at the
opposite end of the scale who wear whatever feels good regardless of whether
it's feminine, modeled after somewhat slovenly middle-aged Japanese rock star
Monsieur Kamayatsu.
Kamayatsu Onna are generally wearing bras and panties sold somewhere from 1,000
yen to 1,500 yen (about USD $8.50 - $12.75) a set. Shops selling these super
cheap undergarments have popped up everywhere across Japan in recent years. The
undies themselves are widely praised for being cheap, cute enough and
comfortable.
"They look okay and the price is right, so what more do you need?" a
23-year-old part-time worker tells Shukan Post, referring to her bargain
basement bogs. "I can't believe anybody could consider paying 10,000 yen or
20,000 yen (about USD $85.00 - $170.00) for a pair of undies."
She'd better believe it, because even at that price, it's still cheap for many
of the Millionairesses, who don't even deign to look at the underpriced
underwear and will slip into only the most luxurious lingerie.
That's where Wacoal Dia comes into play. Wacoal Dia is the new top of the line
brand released by Wacoal Corp., Japan's biggest purveyor of panties.
Wacoal Dia has recently opened an outlet in the massive Isetan Department Store
in Shinjuku following the successful launch last year of an earlier shop in the
company's Ginza headquarters. Wacoal Dia sells itself on presenting lingerie of
the finest quality, packed with added value.
Wacoal Dia bras sell from 10,000 yen to 30,000 yen, its panties from 4,000 to
10,000 and camisoles from 20,000 to 50,000. A typical undergarment set will put
back the buyer well over the 100,000 yen (about USD $850.00) mark for items
that nobody else will see.
Wacoal Dia's appeal also comes with the service, with the Ginza outlet
employing a Lingerie Concierge to help women find the right item, and fitting
rooms more spacious than a lot of homes in the capital. Waiting lists to shop
at the store are chock-full.
Store employees say that customers at Wacoal Dia are looking for what looks and
feels good, regardless of how much it costs, because they're the types that
have money to burn anyway.
A model posing in the steep skids is delighted by them.
"They're totally different (to the cheap brands)," she says. "It doesn't feel
as though you're bound up in them."
An Wacoal Dia customer tells a similar story.
"I fell in love with the detailed designs at first sight. They are pricey, but
wearing expensive knickers makes you feel classy, too," the 36-year-old
brokerage employee tells Shukan Post. "Sure, you can wear them for guys, but
rather than that, I tend to view them as a little luxury for myself."
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