LOLITA LAURA by Laura Slings

LOLITA LAURA

FASHION ILLUSTRATION RESEARCH BOOK

EWHA WOMANS UNIVERSITY, SEOUL

LAURA SLINGS

KAWAII X LAURA SLINGS MOODBOARD

KAWAII X LAURA SLINGS

MOODBOARD OUTSIDE OF FASHION

Glitches

Organic shapes

Patterns

Pastels

Transperancy

Puffy

Volume

Luxurious

Touching

Decorative

WHAT IS KAWAII RESEARCH

Kawaii is sometimes described as the Japanse culture of cuteness. Not a weird description since the meaning of the word ‘kawaii’ means cute. In a broader sense, it describes the culture of celebrating all things adorable and embracing fictional characters as the embodiment of positivity. Originating as a distinctly Japanese cultural trend, the concept soon evolved into the worldwide phenomenon it is today, spreading through many aspects of modern life, including art, fashion, technology, and even food.

In this research case I am looking through the kawaii in clothing. There are different styles in the kawaii fashion subculture scene. The most famous one is Lolita, a style mainly dominated by rococco and Victorian influences, and Sweet Lolita, a style which has even more feminin aspects featuring more bows, ruffles and pastel colours.

Kawaii isn’t just an aesthetic choice, but has become a fashion cultural focal point sprouting dozens of subcultures. Harajuku is the epicenter of kawaii, and you have to walk through intersecting streets of colorful stores, shops devoted to your favorite anime characters and vintage stores to truly experience the best of Japanese cute culture.

You can’t just window shop, you have to people watch. While the number of Harajuku girls with short hemlines and shockingly bright blues and pinks has dwindled in recent years, kawaii has grown. You’ll still spot girls mixing ultra-feminine pinks and frills with knee socks. Some kawaii style even plays with aspects of punk culture, thick combat boots, but in colors and its style remain playful and young.

On the right side I noted some of the lolita/kawaii subcultures.

Wa Lolita Sweet lolita Deco Lolita Country Lolita Punk Lolita Classic Lolita

HISTORY OF KAWAII RESEARCH

The original definition of kawaii came from Lady Murasaki’s 11th century novel The Tale of Genji, where it referred to pitiable qualities. During the Shogunate period under the ideology of neo-Confucianism, women came to be included under the term kawaii as the perception of women being animalistic was replaced with the conception of women as docile. However, the earlier meaning survives into the modern Standard Japanese adjectival noun kawaisō “piteous, pitiable, arousing compassion, poor, sad, sorry” (etymologically from “face / projecting, reflecting, or transmitting light, flushing, blushing / seeming, appearance”). Forms of kawaii and its derivatives kawaisō and kawairashii (with the suffix -rashii “-like, -ly”) are used in modern dialects to mean “embarrassing/embarrassed, shameful/ashamed” or “good, nice, fine, excellent, superb, splendid, admirable” in addition to the standard meanings of “adorable” and “pitiable.”

The kawaii culture has an unusual origin story – the invention of the mechanical pencil. In the early 1970’s, mechanical pencils were introduced and widely adopted in schools. Teenage girls in junior high school quickly took advantage of their finely tipped lead, which was so much more delicate than pencils of the past. Girls began to change their writing style. Strokes became much rounder and more childlike. This new handwriting spread like wildflowers and sparked an entire youth movement which still echoes today. Variations of this new handwriting trend included cutesy characters alongside little pictures of hearts or baby animals.

A time before memes and viral anything, this intensely trendy handwriting style spread to popular mangas and took root in advertising campaigns targeting young girls. The first truly kawaii character, Hello Kitty, with her oversized head, cuddly body, and pink bow, was stamped onto a coin purse. She first appeared in 1974. It became the most recognizable character from the kawaii movement. Over time, kawaii became ingrained inalmost all aspects of Japan’s culture. Kawaii has become defined as childlike, cute andtotally non-threatening. Today, this cuteness can be seen throughout Japan. Most corporations have a cute mascot, and even police departments have adorable cartoon logos.

As the economy progressed through the 1970s and 1980s, so did consumer subcultures –and cute as a style began to be expressed through childish handwriting, speech, dress, products, shops, cafes and food. Meanwhile, as Japanese women became more visible at work, so the “burikko” or childlike woman emerged, portraying an innocence and adorability that alleviated the threat of female emancipation, increasing her appeal as a potential marriage partner.

KAWAII TRHOUGHOUT SOCIETY RESEARCH

The Kawaii style in the daily life is not something that is only in Japan, but also here, in Korea. For me as an exchange student seeing these mascots and cartoons everywhere was kind of weird at first. I see them in the metro, on any advertisment on the streets, at companies, here at ewha, the rise spoons at daiso, actually any item in daiso has some kind of cartoon on it and in basically any other place.

In europe adults dont want to be associated with these kinds of cartoons or mascots because they think it is for childeren. And in order to be taken seriously in life, you dont want to be associated with children.

But I do see some adventages of using cartoons to grab the attention of the public. What I feel like is that everybody has this kind of inner child in them, or the ability to find things cute. By its colourful designs and the cute character, it quickly appeals the eye. In this way the attention of the person is gained.

I think this is a smart way of getting focus or attention on your product or service. So in fashion terms, it could also attract the eye of the costumer. Literally seen as an ‘eye candy’.

In my collection I would use the characteristics of Kawaii throughout society in a more modest way. I want to use the pluchy filling of the mascots and the bows, but in different sizes, different colours and shapes.

Underneath I placed some photos of cartoons I found throughout Seoul.

DECO LOLITA MOODBOARD

Deco Lolita is a substyle from the Lolita style. It is characterized by a lot of applications. Mainly in the form of hair clips attatched to their wigs, but also pluchy animals to their clothing, bungling accessories and bows placed everywhere.

What I can take to my own collection from this style is the loose attatchement as accessories adding to the garments.

DETAILS INSPIRATION

I love the blow up two part sleeve in this and the bows that have the same colour.

Here the hearts are used in a fabric manipulation way. The heart as a cut out with cute ruffles around it.

All the lace ruffles makes it really vintage and dolly. Love the long bow on the gloves. Maybe this could be a nice styling accessoiry.

A corset like this want to enhance in my All the hand embroidery

It is a unique way for closing an uneccessary closing. It is a variant of the pants closure we saw before.

The ruffles on this skirt gives so much layering. I love the fullness of it as well.

Again these little crosses could work really well as an applique to the clothing.

This interesting. as

This little kitsch crosses I really like as an emblem on top of an top or skirt. The variants of different ruffles and drapes inspire me.

DETAILS INSPIRATION

I definiatley my collection. embroidery I love.

Images like this inspire me by the fullness and detailness.

The little bows as a closing detail is a cute simple extra to give a pants more flair.

In my previous collections I used a lot of pearls. I really like this but I dont know If it will complement my current style.

This image is one of my favs. It is a harnass made out of bows. It gives so much detail and layering.

This heart shape cut out is very interesting. I wouldn’t make it fancy as it is here with all the pearls surrounding.

The lace flowers and the buttons with elestic eyes really inspire me. Although this is more rustique than I want.

A gorgeous corset full with hanging pearls. I like that.

The transparancy gives this colour a more modern look in this historical design.

I think I want to go for a pattern cut like this dress, where the volume comes from the hips.

TOKYO INSPIRATION - OWN PHOTOS

Mainstreet

clothing Design details

Harajuku

INSPIRATION - OWN PHOTOS

TOKYO

Street style Shop design Shop details

RECENT FASHION INSPIRATION MOODBOARD

Swayedstature

Giambatista Valli Alexander McQueen Rodarte Monique Lhuillier Miss BlueMarine Rodarte Dolce & Gabanna Gucci Viktor & Rolf Haleia Dolce & Gabanna

SILHOUETTES DESIGN

SILHOUETTES DESIGN

SILHOUETTES DESIGN

COLLECTION PLAN

DIVIDING

SILHOUETTES Ready to wear Couture

COLLECTION PLAN SILHOUETTES

Short dress wide skirt

5 LOOKS

3 ready to wear

Short dress slim skirt

Midi dress wide skirt

2 couture

Coat

All out long dress

SHAPES & STYLE FINAL INSPIRATION

COLOUR DESIGN

CANDY MELON LIME LAVENDER OLD CLOUD GUAVE

FABRIC INSPIRATION DESIGN

Rotate

50% Polyester (Recycled) 47% Polyester 3% Elastane

Charactaristics:

• Has a light shine

• Not too heavy

• Good for summer but still thick fabric

Valentino

Virgin wool 65%, Silk 35% Charactaristics:

• Very stiff

• Beautiful for big shapes and darts

• Thick fabric

Sandro

70% viscose, 30% Silk

Charactaristics:

• Light weight

• dashing

• Good quality fabric, won’t rip anytime soon

Rowen Rose

Virgin wool 100%

Retrofete

Nylon 100%

Charactaristics:

• Medium weight

• Wool texture

• Warm

• Very wintery but speaks luxury

Charactaristics:

• Maybe looks a bit trashy

• Very party like

• Synthetic material

Source: Rotate Source: Farfetch Source: Sandro Source: Farfetch Source: Farfetch

FABRIC DESIGN

I want to use some fake fur as details for my collection. This light shiny pink looks perfect with my colour pallette.

Silk wool tweed is perfect for the sturdy luxury look of a garment. It gives mature vibes, some contrast I need with the young playful designs that I have.

These loser silk satins I would like to use in the more flowy skirts or pattern pieces that can be draped and dont have to be sturdy.

I want to use these kind of heavy silks for my designs. Mostly for the tight fitting designs.

This is a print I made myself for the subject screen printing. I’d like to use this print on a heavy silk satin. Or what also could be nice is on a silk/cotton jacquard fabric.