By Jessica Ye (Jessica Yap)
A wave. A high five. Sometimes a little twirl.
That’s usually how an Aki and Koichi video begins. Before you even notice what they’re wearing, you’re already smiling.
Of course, the outfits help. Bright colours, oversized tailoring, playful accessories and just the right amount of coordination have helped the septuagenarian couple build an Instagram following of more than 1.3 million people. But the clothes aren’t really why people keep coming back.
It’s the joy.
Aki and Koichi make getting dressed look like one of life’s simplest pleasures. No rules. No pressure. Just two people having fun with fashion and with each other.
This October, they’ll share more of that outlook in Life / Style, their first book. Filled with never-before-seen photographs by fashion photographer Benjo Arwas, it traces their journey from immigrating to the United States and building a life together to becoming two of fashion’s most unexpected social media stars. Along the way, they reflect on style, marriage and finding fresh purpose long after retirement.
If you’ve ever come across one of their videos, you’ll know there’s nothing overly polished about them.
No dramatic sets. No complicated concepts. Just Aki and Koichi standing side by side, greeting the camera before showing off another colourful look that feels completely, unmistakably theirs.
It’s no surprise that fashion has taken notice. LOEWE, Dior, Marimekko and Marc Jacobs have all worked with the couple, but they’ve never looked like they were dressing to chase trends or please an algorithm. They’ve simply stayed true to themselves, and somehow that’s become their greatest style statement.
They also join a growing group of older fashion figures proving that great style has very little to do with age. Lyn Slater, Grece Ghanem and the late Iris Apfel have all shown that personal style doesn’t become more interesting by trying to look younger. It becomes more interesting when it reflects the person wearing it.
That’s exactly what makes Aki and Koichi so easy to watch.
Whether they’re wearing bold prints, oversized silhouettes or colourful layers, nothing ever feels forced. The clothes don’t wear them. They wear the clothes. Every outfit feels lived in, full of personality and, above all, fun.
Life / Style also pulls back the curtain on the moments social media doesn’t always capture. The couple speak candidly about the realities behind the photographs, reminding readers that every joyful image is part of a much bigger story.
“Social media can sometimes show the most polished moments of life, but behind every life are real experiences and challenges,” they write. “We believe that something good can come out of even the most challenging circumstances.”
Perhaps that’s why they’ve found fans across so many generations.
It’s easy to admire a great outfit. It’s much harder to make getting dressed feel this joyful after more than four decades together.
Aki and Koichi aren’t just proof that style doesn’t retire. They’re proof that the best-dressed people are often the ones still enjoying every minute of getting dressed.
Featured Image: Courtesy of The Quarto Group
