WHE RE T HE ST Y LE T H I NGS AR E b y A le x ia Pan akos
Tokyo's avenue of the avant -garde
A
mong the many exciting things that Japan has to offer, from advanced technology to amazing cuisine, you may have heard of something called "Harajuku fashion."
influence some Japanese styles. Meanwhile, the funkier and more colourful fashions are actually more sought out by foreigners these days, and some brands are clearly reaching out to that market.
Japanese street fashion is known to be among the most colourful, expressive and unique styles in the world. Sandwiched between Shinjuku and Shibuya, Harajuku is Japan’s youth fashion hub, and with many different sub-styles on display here, you'll find a number of looks, from colourful and crazy to sweet and frilly.
As founder of Ghost Girl Goods, I use my passions for music, dance and Japanese culture as inspirations for my brand and my garments. And during my recent travels through Japan—this was now my fourth trip!—I was able to get the inside scoop on various Harajuku spots and events as I ventured through its stylish Takeshita Street and similarly fashion-soaked backstreets.
I do find, however, that young people are now tending to gear toward neutral and lighter colours, wearing styles that may look more mature, soft and sweet, or even Korean style as the rising popularity of K-pop music and Korean fashion continues to
My adventure first took me to the Laforet Museum, a sixth-floor gallery space on top of the Laforet Harajuku shopping mall. While I was there, the museum presented a number of special galleries marking the 40th anniversary of Laforet Harajuku,
16
