Who cares about fashion when you are already hot, hot, hot? Imagine living in Japan after the March 11 earthquake and having no power during extreme heat. That is what many people are facing and they are working in conditions in which heat stroke is a real threat. Enter Kuchofuku Co. Ltd. Kuchofuku which sounds more like a martial art form literally means “air conditioned clothing” and it is saving the lives of several thousands of people who are at the mercy of the heat. The jacket is cooler than going shirtless.

The fans in the Kuchofuku jacket are connected to a lithium-ion battery pack that lasts for 11 hours on a single charge, consuming only a fraction of the power used by conventional air-conditioning, said company president Hiroshi Ichigaya. Up to 20 litres per second of air circulates throughout the jacket and escapes through the collar and cuffs, drying off sweat and cooling down the wearer.

So, I ask you, when it comes to fashion would you rather be “cool” or “hot”?