“HARAJUKU Fashion” Seen from Pop-icon of Harajuku
An interview with model and singer, Una
by Eri Imamura
The iconic fashion town, Harajuku, as it is a city of fashion not only to foreigners but also to local Japanese. However I can’t help myself feeling like the image of Harajuku from world is a little distorted. Young girls dressed as so called “Lolita”, or these people who dressed in “cosplay costumes” irrespective gender or age walking across “Takeshita-dori” (Takeshita Street, the main shopping street in Harajuku). Of course, these fashion cultures do exist in Harajuku, but if you ask girls on the street, they would have a total different idea about Harajuku Fashion.
Girls who are so called “Harajuku-kei” (Harajuku styled girls/Harajuku girls) establish their original styles mixing street casuals and mode fashion. For example, their top would be from an up-and-coming it designer’s brand, with their pants from a vintage shop, and accessories bought from fast fashion brands. Such uniquely hybridized styles draws attention to media and make them as Harajuku fashion icons. So what do they feel about “Harajuku fashion”?
I would like to focus on the truth of “Harajuku style” interviewing with Una, a model and also a singer representing Harajuku fashion.
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-Tell me about your career as a model.
I moved to Tokyo from Okinawa 4 years ago, I was working part time as a shop keeper at a fashion store in Harajuku. As I was walking across the street in my break time, an editor from fashion magazine “Zipper” made an offer to take a photo of me in their street snap page. That’s how I started my career as a model.
-What kind of fashion style did you put on around that time?
I liked something 80s in my style that time. Dressing like 80's was a trend, but I was not following that or anything, I just liked the look of it not knowing they were called “80s”. The magazine I was modeling for is called “Zipper”, and they classified each models into different fashion genres for photo-shoots.
Editors would tell me “So you like 80's fashion.” and that’s how I knew what I liked was actually called “80s fashion”. And people who have lived in 80's would tell me that my fashion style brings their memories back. Then I started to research about 80's American Cultures. The more I knew about the 80s, the more I liked it.
However, I was a so-called “Gyaru” (one of Japanese girls’ culture in trend that they wear a lot of makeup) back in Okinawa. I think there is some part in me that like to follow trends, so as of today, I still have a little “Gyaru” in my makeup. But of course it’s toned down now, but back in Okinawa, I was wearing big fake eyelashes with color-contact lens.
-What inspires you in your fashion today?
I get a lot of inspirations from American hip-hop cultures back in 80s or 90s. Most of them come from the music videos. Like I bought sweat shirt of Run-D.M.C because I saw their music videos, or I wanted a jacket like Michael Jackson after watching his music videos. I even got hints of how I should wear white baggy socks from his iconic uniform. If you see Madonna, she wore lingerie with bunch of bling-bling, which I personally like. Basically I adopt styles I felt good in my bones and arrange them to my own style.
-What do you think of “Harajuku fashion”?
To put in one word, “freedom”. Everyone mix different styles of fashion on their own way freely. Everyone has their own style and different. Japan has a lot of subcultures like “Gyaru culture”, “Otaku culture”, “Idol culture”, but I feel Harajuku culture is the most difficult describe.
My colleague kyary-chan (Kyary-pamyu-pamyu) has established her public image as a Harajuku icon, and maybe most of people would think of her when it comes to Harajuku culture, but I think less and less girls dress as fancy as she does.
As for “Gyaru culture”, there is new type of Gyaru called “Neo-Gyaru” appeared recently; I feel like the culture is becoming one big aspect mixing with other cultures. Similar things happen in magazines too, even their genres are sorted into “Akamoji-kei*” and “Aomoji-kei**”, their features focus on same things sometimes.
And Gyaru Culture was mainly dispatched in Shibuya, but nowadays I see a lot of them in Harajuku too. It’s really difficult for me to explain “Harajuku culture” because it’s mixture of so many different elements.
*Akaomoji-kei… the Type of magazines that feature on feminine and conservative fashion and is more accepted by mainstream.
**Aomoji-kei… the type of magazines that feature on street casuals, focusing more on Harajuku cultures.
-I hear a trend in fashion is now focusing on mixture of Gyaru and Street casuals nowadays.
I think the some of the reason is because 90s is in trend now. I think Harajuku girls are somewhat “Otaku”. They are obedient and focus a lot on what they like, so I say they are “Otaku”. I feel like not many girls follow the trends. Of course, they do have interests in it, but they wouldn’t just copy and dress like a trend follower.
Real Harajuku girls have strong self-esteem, so even if there is a big trend, they would arrange it into their own style. That’s why I see a little of Otaku and spirit of defiance in there.
-What kind of girls do you think represent Harajuku?
I think the shopkeepers in Harajuku are the ones who represent Harajuku the most. There is a famous and popular shopkeeper who is like a drawing card at each shop in Harajuku. Many girls visit shop just to see them because many of them often make appearance in fashion magazines.
People often call me as a “Harajuku girl”, but to tell the truth, I don’t actually think myself as much of a “Harajuku girl”. I love Harajuku and I want to continue living in a Harajuku culture, but I know there are more girls who reflect Harajuku fashion more than I do, so I don’t feel right when people see me as a representative of Harajuku.
I do go shopping not only to Harajuku but to Shibuya, I sometimes shop in 109 (The biggest shopping mall in Shibuya, the must-shop place for Gyaru girls). I recently became close to Arisa Ueno, an icon of “Neo-Gyaru” and a producer of a brand “FIG&VIPER”, and we were talking about the “differences between Shibuya and Harajuku”.
Our conclusion was that the girls in Harajuku have “Otaku” in them, while girls in Shibuya(=Gyaru) are cheerful and bright and they really live for the moment. Gyaru-s tend to follow the trend, and want to make the best of themselves among other girls. I feel that Gyaru girls have highs sence of awareness on their beauty and “Kawaii” is the best compliment for them.
In other hand, Harajuku girls care more on clothes and want to be judged by how fashionable they dress. So stylish is the best compliment for Harajuku girls. Their fashion expresses not only “Kawaii”, but also their culture that fancies them.
-Shirt/H&M
-Pants/Vintage from KINJI
-Necklace/AMBUSH
-Earing, pinky ring/Vintage
-Ring on left ring finger/FIG&VIPER
-Other rings/H&M
-Watch/Vintage from VERSACE
-Shoes/YRU
Profile of Una
Born in Okinawa on 1991. She started her career as a model in street style snap in a fashion magazine where she gained a reputation following her unique and edgy sense of fashion. She made her debut as singer in 2010 releasing her first debut single “JUICY JUICY” in 2013. As Una performed as a curtain raiser for Anamanaguchi in their concert tour in Los Angeles and San Francisco, she is expanding her sphere as fashion icon of Harajuku, and new generation of Japanese culture.
(photo: Tomohiko Tagawa)
Originally published at ignition.co.
