When I announced I was moving to Japan I was informed about “those crazy Japanese and their used panties vending machines,” by giggling otaku bros who had never set a foot outside of Blighty. Whether or not the infamous vending machines actually exist, I will admit that Japan does have a thing about panties, a fact uncomfortably clear from anime, games and the magazines in that corner of every konbini.

Given the saturation of the market, the sensible thing to do seems to be to dispense with panties altogether. Fashion label No Panties creates clothing for young women. Their main offering consists of sweatshirts and hoodies decorated with scantily clad cartoon ladies posing gleefully un-seductively—panties optional. On Friday April 27, the brand is holding a wonderfully pink and wholesome party to launch its collaboration with another label, FREAK’S STORE, which make clothes for both men and women that are more on the beachy-boho side of things and decidedly un-freakish.

Held in the press room of FREAK’S STORE’s Harajuku office, this party is free and open to all. The collaborative collection will be on sale and local artists will exhibit their quirky panty-related work for your enjoyment. The night will also feature performances from DJs YUKIBEB, ShioriBradshaw and Disk Nagataki.

Wear whatever you want, just don’t get arrested.

April 27, 7.30pm – 10pm. FREE. Press Room, FREAK’S STORE Office, 7F, Da Vinci Building, 3-25-15 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku. Nearest station: Meiji Jingu Mae. https://www.freaksstore.com/news/2018/04/no-panties.php