BA2 CLASS READING - FASHION IN SOCIETY - JAPANESE STREET FASHION GROUP SEMINAR PRESENTATION - this reading is extracts (...) from the set text.

JAPANESE STREET FASHION: THE URGE TO BE SEEN AND TO BE HEARD. YUNIYA KAWAMURA. 2011 (?)

Since the early 1990s, Japan has faced the longest and the worst economic recession in its history. Japanese society is known to be extremely cohesive and conformist, but as John Nathan (2004) explains, this may be fracturing under the strain of economic stagnation. Fathers are losing jobs for the first time in their lives, mothers who used to be full-time homemakers now have to look for part-time jobs to supplement their household income, and children find no hope in future Japan. As a result, statistics show that violence in schools has risen dramatically. ... Feelings of helplessness, disillusionment, alienation, uncertainty, and anger have permeated society, from adults to children. ...


Fashion expressed the prevailing ideology of society. Teens see the assertion of individual identity as more important and meaningful than that of family or school identity, which used to be the key affiliations in Japanese culture, so they seek ways to oppose mainstream ideology. They are in search of a community or a group where they are accepted, are welcomed, and feel comfortable. Such behaviour is reflected in their norm-breaking and unconventional, yet commercially successful, styles that have emerged out of different street subcultures. ...


The first major street subculture that appeared in the mid-1990s, and which helped fuel this sector of the fashion industry, is known as 'Ganguro' - which literally means face-black or black face. A common sight on the streets of Tokyo at the time was groups of young girls between the ages of of fifteen and eighteen with long hair, dyed brown or bleached blonde, tanned skin, heavy makeup, brightly coloured miniskirts or short pants, and high platform boots. ...


'Ganguro' led to 'Amazoness, which was more extreme than 'Ganguro', with very heavy makeup, but according to some industry professionals, it was so extreme that it did not last long. Instead, in the late 1990s, 'Yamamba, which refers to a mountain witch in Japanese mythology, replaced the 'Ganguro' look. More recently 'Yamamba' has evolved into 'Mamba', which is already beginning to fade away. Multiple interactions occur simultaneously on the streets of Tokyo, and the subcultures with specific appearances have branched out into so many different sub-subcultures that it is almost impossible to track down all the existing groups as each subculture comes up with a distinctive style. ...


The 'Gothic Lolita' fashion has been one of the most popular looks in the Harajuku area since 1999, and it is part of the 'Lolita' subculture. This style can be seen as a counter reaction to the 'Ganguro' style and others that evolved out of it. It is popular among those who think that 'Mamba', 'Yamamba' and 'Ganguro' are too outrageous and unfeminine. Like other subcultures, 'Gothic Lolita' is dominated by girls. The image is that of a Victorian doll, which appears to be an exaggerated form of femininity with pale and fair skin, curly hair, knee - or mid-thigh-length Victorian-style dresses with laces and frills, pinafores, bloomers, stockings, and shoes or boots.


'Gothic Lolita' sub-styles include 'Elegant Gothic Lolita', with a monochromatic palette, 'Classical Gothic Lolita', with pastel colours, and 'Punk Gothic Lolita', with punk elements such as leather, zippers, and chains. Other 'Lolitas' include 'Ama-Loli, a basic 'Lolita' look using mostly white. If pink is used, it is called 'Pink-Loli'. When two girls wear exactly the same 'Lolita' style, it is called 'Futago-Loli', which means 'Twin Lolitas'.


Many of the subcultural groups have created website communities with rules as to what kind of topics can be posted on the Internet so that they can maintain the subcultural identity of the site. Discussions on specific brands for their members, questions about how to put together a particular look, and instructions on making items to create a particular look are typical. Members exchange, auction, buy, and sell their own fashion items. ...


The distinctive look functions as a visible group identity for the teens and becomes a shared sign of membership affiliation; it is also used to communicate their ideas, intentions, purposes, and thoughts. The intended meaning and the interpretation of the look varies, and the teens are aware of this uncertain communication. ...


Fashion today cannot be dictated solely by professional designers. The junior high and high school students who represent Japanese street culture and fashion have the potential to influence other teens. they not only consume and diffuse fashion but also guide industry professionals as to what the next trends will be. (Kawamura in Welters and Lillethun, 2011, pp.467-469).

REFERENCE

Kawamura, Y. in Welters, L. and Lillethun, A. (eds.) (2011) The fashion reader. 2nd end. Oxford: Berg.