Tokidoki Tokipoke-me

What’s the next best thing to actually BEING Japanese??? Being inspired by Japanese culture! And these days, we’ve all been touched by a little Japanese inspiration! Just look at Gwen Stefani! (good thing someone invented the word inspiration, otherwise we may have been using the word ‘wannabe’…which wouldn’t be entirely incorrect!)

Regardless, being inspired by something is a way of paying tribute to it. Which is the best way to describe Italian artist Simone Legno’s (and business partners Ivan Arnold & Pooneh Mohajer) nearly 3 year old lifestyle brand, Tokidoki (it means ‘sometimes‘ in Japanese).

A true fairytale story, Tokidoki started out as a website for Legno to display his art; a virtual portfolio. One day he was contacted by an entrepreneur couple who had a vision of making Tokidoki what it is today: a colourful, moneymaking empire with roots in all aspects of style from purses to toys!

With projects pouring out of its proverbial ass, Tokidoki’s got collaboration diarrhea and there’s no Pepto Bismol in sight! A ridiculous amount of collective efforts between a variety of different companies including: LeSportSac purses and bags, Smashbox makeup, Fornorina shoes, and Onitsuka Tiger sneakers; Tokidoki even designed +44′s buses for their Honda Civic Tour.

A big part of tokidoki’s appeal are their various collections of mini figures. These little families of pocket size figurines are almost painfully cute! Actually, the latest collection named ‘cactus pups’ probably ARE painful. And each of them have their very own appropriately quirky name…our favourite is Bastardino, the little Jack Russell with a mean underbite!

Anyway we’d tell you to keep an eye out for this fun brand, however it really isn’t necessary since Tokidoki toys are popping up in places you wouldn’t even think of looking (no, not there!!!…and if you DO find a cactus pup there, then you’re sick!…and you obviously have masochistic tendencies! Sicko…I’m calling the cops. You hear that? That’s right; they’re coming to get you. …Was that your doorbell? Yeah that’s the Feds, commin’ to lock you up! What’s that you say? Oh…it was just the pizza guy? Well they’ll be there by the time you finish that meatlover’s special) So just keep being your obvlious self, but don’t show up at your friend’s place 2 months from now, being all:”Omg, dude, check this out! Have you heard of the Moofia, they’re like the cutest gang of gangsters ever! I just love how colourful they are! And this Tokidoki brand is like all over the place, they make bags and purses and watches and I think they designed the +44 tour bu–*WHACK**THUD*………………………………..”
That was your friend dropkicking you in the head.
You’ve been warned.