This photo book by Japanese editor and photographer Kyoichi Tsuzuki is a reprint of his classic work, "Kidoroki Hojoki: Happy Victims" (Seigensha), which was published in 2008 as a compilation of 87 serial articles that ran in the magazine "Ryuko Tsushin" from April 1999 to August 2006. The original edition not only enjoyed cult popularity, but the book itself was also a paean to the "cult of collecting."

This reissue has been restyled from the original softcover to a hardcover. All images have been newly edited by the author himself, creating a "remastered" version. In addition to the original preface, author Kyoichi Tsuzuki has written a new preface for this reissue, and the book also includes an explanation by Isabella Burley, founder of Climax, a renowned fashion bookshop with stores in New York and London.

Even now, more than 20 years after its serialization, the contents of this book seem strangely rebellious. Though published in fashion magazines—a message to followers of the worldview and advertising expressions of their beloved brands—the images do not represent the typical image of "high fashion" we associate with beautiful models living beautiful lives in beautiful homes, wearing beautiful clothes. The images portray real-life people, like a young monk obsessed with Comme des Garçons and an Alexander McQueen collector listening to his neighbors' conversations through paper-thin walls. Photographed in their own rooms, each displaying their collections, these anonymous devotees/victims joyfully discuss the rituals and sacrifices that arise from their obsession with their respective brands. These "anti-heroes" exist as an alternate reality, parallel to the high fashion worldview of fame, fantasy, and glamour.

While the cover and obi have been completely redesigned, the content maintains the simple documentary format of the original. Each double-page spread features one "happy victim," and each photograph of the victim's room, taken by the author, is accompanied by a brief description of the victim and a description of their typical day. Many of these victims are not even wealthy, commuting between work and home every day and finding time to care for their clothes. The book's pervasive empathy and familiarity also highlight the difficulty of replicating this project today. With stories being produced, consumed, and erased on a massive scale on social media, the fashion industry itself has become an increasingly fragmented and diffused cultural phenomenon. And high fashion is increasingly losing its rightful place to both fast and street-level trends.

The author's focus on these "happy victims" consistently challenges the prejudice that places fashion collectors at the bottom of the hierarchy compared to book, art, music, etc. The very nature of their pure passion is what the author finds magically fascinating. After all, as renowned fashion journalist Isabella Burley, who contributed text to the book, says, in 2025 we are all "happy victims" (with various faces).

Full text in English.

[Specifications/Details]
・Publisher: APARTAMENTO(2025)
・Number of pages: 184
Size: 230 x 300 mm
·hard cover

*Due to the characteristics of the product, there may be creases or stains on the main body. Please note that this is not a defective product.

【English】Shopping Guide for First-Time Users