Designer Cos Dress up Cellphones in Japan

For the average Japanese teenager, a cell phone is a must-have item, used for e-mail, taking photos and keeping track of dates, in addition to the simple phone call.

But a quick stroll around the hip Shibuya district of Tokyo shows that cell phones in Japan have also become an important identity statement, with accessories like straps, antenna rings, photo stickers and fake gems reflecting the owner's personality.

That has made fashion accessories for mobile phones a big business in Japan, where even adults dangle at least a strap from their phones. Senior high-school student Tomomi has a simple explanation for why these accessories have caught on.

"It's a way to make your phone different from everyone else's," she says. "The item that I want most right now is a Chanel phone strap," the 18-year-old, who asked that her last name not be used, added as she showed off the rhinestone stickers, Mickey Mouse antenna ring and tiny photos of friends that adorn her phone.

Seeing a widow of opportunity, designer houses such as Hermes International, Gucci and Louis Vuitton have added mobile phone straps to their collections with prices as high as $300. A Chanel strap costs about $250, according to one online shopping site.

"Unlike many other gadgets and the personal computer, the 'keitai' (mobile phone) is much more clo

more: economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/964265.cm (140)

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