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Japanese Gothic Lolita fashion: a living example of Tokyo underground fashion street style

In Harajuku streets, Yoyogi Park, and even in Shinjuku on the great avenue leading to department stores such as Isetan or Marui, it often occurs that tourists, salary men and other onlookers cross their path with strange creatures, heavily made-up and dressed up in clothes that could be taken first for cosplay. But the Lolita look as it is commonly called is indeed a fashion, far from cosplay. And even in the country where the most incredible delusions seem possible, this fashion continues to intrigue even Japanese people.

Subculture inspired by the manga and anime Versailles no Bara (the Rose of Versailles) and more recently by Kuroshitsuji, the Lolita fashion first appeared in the very beginning of 80’s with the select shop Atelier Pierrot (one of the oldest shop in Laforet department store) and brands like Angelic Pretty. Lolita style makes in the lace, ribbons and frills, and Japanese girls love that! They are divided into many and different categories and subcategories, such as Sweet Lolita, Classic Lolita and Punk Lolita for the most famous, are between age 15 and 25, and walk out the streets and parks, often on week-ends. But it is numerous and sumptuously dressed up they go to visual kei (*1) concerts and gothic parties like Tokyo Decadance or Tokyo Dark Catle. They are crazy about cute pastries and cakes, and collect pastel accessories for Sweet Lolitas or Gothic crosses for Elegant ones. They love spots as sumptuous as their outfits like the Christon Café and Alice Restaurant in Shinjuku or the Vampire Café in Ginza.

(Pictures by Valerie Fujita)

The Lolita fashion is represented by brands dating back as far as 20 years ago borrowing heavily from French and European cultures, making a new modern concept of all its own. This fashion is also inspired by European gothics and punks who have redefined the two genres with the mixture of lace and frills. Fumiko Kawamura, Chantilly’s designer, explains: “When I was in Aix-en-Provence, dazzled by everything I was discovering, people were telling me that it was the first time they were seeing Rococo (*2) (an art style started in France in 18th Century)… It left me speechless, because, for me, France was the country of Rococo! I thought a lot about it, and after all, even if the origins are indisputably European, the Lolita fashion has become, over time, something culturally Japanese.”

Although Lolita style is a subculture, this fashion and its admirers know how to raise voices and they show up through magazines such as Kera(*3) and Gothic and Lolita Bible(*4), two magazines dedicated to Harajuku street fashion and making the apology of Lolita style.

(Pictures by Valerie Fujita)

Japanese fashion shoppers known as brands shoppers repeat the brand schema in Lolita fashion also. The Lolita fashioners are attached to one brand although they might add some accessories of another; they know what they are looking for and each brand is known for its own image and specialty. Therefore, the customer looks like her favorite brand and it is then quite easy when you know the market to guess which brand this or that lolita shops. For example, Alice Auaa offers a classic and fetish wardrobe, when Angelic Pretty assumes an aggressive pink styling, like to shout “Did you see how much we are kawaii(*5), ISN’T IT?” says Ayako Shirata, Stigmata’s designer.

Japanese Lolita fashion has now crossed the oceans and is developing outside of Japan. In Europe, French Lolita market is becoming very active, counting a bit more than 600 customers, and having some specialized shops in Paris (Boddywood, Kawaiko and even Baby, the Stars Shine Bright itself). United States is also becoming a market for Gothic Lolita fashion, La Carmina, a gothic blogger and author of 3 books, is helping to popularize the genre.

(*1) Visual Kei: particular genre of Japanese rock emerged in the 80’s, where aesthetic and look are as important as the music. Each band has a particular identity, influenced by punk, Japanese street wear, gothic, glam rock, anime and even Japanese traditional clothes.

(*2) Rococo: the style (also know in French as Rocaille) appeared at 18th century and influenced French art and interior design. It is also linked to Baroque style. Rococo describes shell-like curves and focus on decorative art, in a frivolous and opulent way.

(*3) Kera: magazine of Tokyo alternative fashion and street style, Kera introduces each month the new street trends to follow. The magazine is one of the actors in the promotion of Gothic and Lolita fashion. Its photographers are known for having published Fruits, a series of books, worldwide distributed, combining snapshots taken in the streets of Harajuku, and that made Kera famous. Kera has also twenty stores across Japan and acts as a select shop for distributing brands that don’t have their own distribution network, such as Super Lovers or Rituals.

(*4) Gothic and Lolita Bible: quarterly magazine, which belongs to Index Communications, that also distributes Kera magazine. This magazine contributed to make the Lolita fashion famous throughout Japan, Europe and United States. The first English version of the magazine has been published in February 2008.

(*5) Kawaii: Japanese adjective meaning cute, adorable. It can be used to describe things, animals and even people. If used with exacerbation it can sometimes seem incongruous, demonstrating a lack of seriousness, or even frivolity.

VF
2010/1/27

(Pictures by Valerie Fujita)

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