As of now, VANQUISH (located on the 6th floor of 109-2) is the most popular and in-demand brand with the men’s egg, Men’s Kunckle, and Men’s Digger magazine brigades in Tokyo.
While Buffalo Bobs has recently taken the Osaka area, this new era of warring states sees Vanquish as the reigning champs of where-it-really-matters: Shibuya and Kabuki-cho. Based on a visit to their flagship 109-2 store a few weeks back, aka VANQUISH THE CORNER, (on a quest to retrieve some SEX IS HEAVEN underwear and VANQUISH SEX styling wax…more about those later) it looks they’ve even kicked 2005-2007's mighty "Hot Boyz" brand Jackrose to the curb.
Last Christmas saw Vanquish placing major ads for their Love Pair Rings in all of the aforementioned men’s magazines. Men’s Knuckle in particular has since latched onto the label and featured Vanquish prominently in their recent Host Knuckle special one-shot magazine.
Aside from putting the media in their pocket, how did Vanquish climb to the top of the heap?
Based on the sheer amount of white peacoats with big gold buttons, tailored jackets, and ties (they must be one of the few men’s shops at 109-2 to even carry ties) for sale, my guess is because they’re the mad scientists behind the evolutionary leap from the our much loved gyaru-o street style to the new refined gigolo-host level of “O-nii-kei” (props to Marxy for pointing me in this direction).
Indeed, their wares all but define the men’s egg Adult category, while the slightly higher price tags nudge the brand into almost exclusive territory. No $10 joke shirts like at Buffalo Bobs! But Vanquish does carry plenty of entry level items which come in the form of their bizarre you’ve-got-to-be-kidding-me accessories. And it’s here, under the chandelier at the 109-2 store, that our very valiant venture into the valley of Vanquish begins…
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