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.