The Glorient Issue #02 by RUnaomikwok

WINTER 2019 | TORONTO

#02 LENA on the cover

The JAPAN Issue

the GLORIENT the GLORIENT the GLORIENT the GLORIENT the GLORIENT the GLORIENT the GLORIENT the GLORIENT the GLORIENT the GLORIENT the GLORIENT the GLORIENT the GLORIENT the GLORIENT the GLORIENT the GLORIENT the GLORIENT the GLORIENT the GLORIENT the GLORIENT the GLORIENT the GLORIENT the GLORIENT the GLORIENT 2

T T T T T T T T T T T T

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

NAOMI KWOK Editor in Chief, Art Director, Editorial Stylist, Editorial Designer, and everything else

JANICE LIU Copy Editor

SPECIAL THANKS TO Professor Daniel Drak Freida Wang Lena Nasu-Yu @_lenalemon Michelle Hanitijo @kyomica_72

READY FOR PART 2?? B

efore conducting extensive research on Chinese, Japanese, and Korean pop cultures, I knew K-Pop the best, even though I am an ethnic Chinese and have lived in Hong

Kong for 14 years. It is interesting that I consume Korean cultural content more fre-

quently and regularly than that of my own native country or what is considered mainstream in Toronto where I reside. This indeed speaks to the pan-East Asian multi-directional flow of media content.

Even talking to my interviewees of different cultural roots, I realized that “where you come from” does not necessarily mean that you enjoy the pop culture from your “country of ori-

gin”. Thus, we sometimes hear somewhat derogatory terms like “weeaboo” and “koreaboo” — respectively describing an overzealous fan of Japanese and Korean pop cultures that is not of that ethnicity.

I have yet to see an equivalent for the Chinese pop culture. (Maybe that’s good because people are proud of being a fan of the Chinese pop culture?!)

However, generally speaking, Chinese pop culture is less known than the other two. People

from all around the world seem to be at least cognizant of (if not enjoy) Japanese manga and anime, as well as K-Pop and K-dramas more recently. Their disparate popularities made me ponder over the broader implications such as diplomacy, further grounding my academic exploration in the understanding of soft power.

Social media accounts created by fans that are dedicated to the minutiae of celebrities’

wardrobe choices also spawned my project. Why do we look for inspiration from these celebrities, want to own what they wear, and at the very least, dress like them?

Their influence dictates referent power — the ability to attract and build “a feeling of oneness”

with others — that is very similar to soft power. The fact that we look at these celebrities as the gateway to latest trends also indicates the two-step flow communication model. Celebrity culture under the Asian Century — who’s excited to learn more?

YOURS TRULY, NAOMI KWOK

POST-WAR POP IDOLS

“MADE IN JAPAN” WINS

An overview of Japanese pop culture after the WW2 in 1945

4 critically and commercially acclaimed Japanese films

JAPANESE ICONS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Q&A WITH LENA

5 Japanese fashion icons — from street style to runway — you should know

Meet the hafu influencer

CULTURAL OVERVIEW

POST-WAR POP IDOLS Nearly half a millennium has passed since the Edo

Period (1600-1868) and it is impossible to sum up Japanese popular culture especially with its many fascinating facets — cinema, television, music, manga, anime, cuisine, fashion, and many more — in a few pages.

Despite the explosion of domestic commerce and

popular culture during the archaic times, August 1949 marked the most important chapter in contemporary Japanese history, affecting every aspect

Source: Toho Company Ltd.

The public service broadcaster NHK resumed its radio

service and launched its television channel in 1953,

followed by NTV and four additional commercial news channels between 1955 and 1964.

of life in Japan and arguably the rest of the globe too.

Although television sets had become a home staple,

On August 15, 1945, Emperor Hirohito announced

ding of Crown Prince Akihito to his commoner bride

via radio broadcast that his subjects must “endure

the unendurable” and surrender to the Allies — after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Na-

gasaki. The Allied occupation of Japan, led by the US, then took effect from 1945-1952 and underwent tight regulations and censorships on popular cultures of all kinds . 1

JAPAN’S SPEEDY RECOVERY

two live broadcast events — the 1959 royal wedMichiko and the 1964 Tokyo Olympics — solidified

the role of television and transformed Japan into a

mass society, one large electronic audience participating in a massive national consumer culture.

In 1965, the Japanese spent more time watching TV than eating, engaging in hobbies, and talking with others combined.

Two years after the occupation, Toho Studio released

In the first three decades after the war, the econo-

known to the West as Godzilla) in November 1954.

1960s, Japan had become the world’s second larg-

a sci-fi movie Gojira (which was heavily edited and In the movie, Tokyo was obliterated once again. For the next two decades, a series of movies portraying

onscreen devastation shone light on the nation’s profound vulnerability whilst promoted the original Japanese kaiju eiga (monster movie) genre to worldwide audiences.

my expanded in leaps and bounds, and by the late

est economy. Neighbouring countries such as the “Four Asian Tigers” — South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore — sought not only to model after Japan’s “economic miracle”, but also imitate their young Japanese idols1.

CULTURAL OVERVIEW THE IDOL BEGINNINGS

In 1967, The Johnny’s debuted their first idol group,

In 1964, the 19-year-old ye-ye singer Sylvie Var-

The Four Leaves, whose popularity lasted through

tan captured the hearts of Japanese cinema goers

the next decade. The Johnny’s dominated the Jap-

in the French film Cherchez L’idole — translated

anese male idol market by continuously producing

to “Aidoru o Sagase”. Her track from that

big names over the years such as solo acts

film La plus belle pour aller danser was

Hiromi Go and Toshihiko Tahara, as well

a hit in Japan, selling more than a

as groups in subsequent decades3.

million copies.

1971 was officially the “first

Vartan’s true impact on Jap-

year of the idol era” (aidoru

anese culture, however, was

gannen) — Minami Saori,

her “je ne sais quoi” spirit

Amachi Mari, and Koyangi

— young, cute, and musi-

sing, pose for photos, and ap-

idol) to young performers who

d. ., Lt

term “aidoru” (Japanese for

pear frequently in the media2.

Pop idols were then considered a com-

U M NNIN

At Johnny & Associates,

“Johnny juniors” — the

nickname given to all young

men brought into Kitagawa’s

fold — train for more than five

years before being strategically

grouped with other juniors. Once in

their groups, juniors then rehearse for an

additional two years in order to further learn how to sing, act, and behave like certified idols4.

Agency and Sun Music for girls.

bi@ wla O : c i Graph

bi Re

like The Johnny’s for boys, or Hori

A megastar was born through

this program — Momoe Yamaguchi, who enjoyed

fame all over Asia, was

later grouped with two other contestants Masako

Mori and Junko Sakurada

to become Hana no Chūsan

Torio (“The lovely trio of

third-year

bands now for over 50 years.

bb le

been building and idol boy

construction. Kitagawa has

came the gateway to “dream factories”

A O M O E YA M

ated the blueprint for idol

Idols began to be mass-produced on

next star, was broadcasted nationally and be-

ent agencies (jimusho), notably The

Johnny & Associates cre-

Song Battle), giving the term

a face to reference.

gram, with hundreds of youth aspiring to be the

This genre was pretty much launched by tal-

Named after the master crafter

Kōhaku

which ran from 1971 to 19835. The audition pro-

(popular music) that emerged in the late 1960s.

Johnny & Associates, in 19633.

at the 22nd NHK

Uta Gassen (Red and White

TV shows like Suta Tanjō! (Birth of a Star!),

mercial genre in the category of kayoukyoku

of idol pop Johnny Kitagawa,

(Three

introduced as a “teen idol”

media began to assign the

Musume

Young Girls). Minami was

ho : To

entertainment industry and

Sannin

film’s title, the Japanese

Rumiko formed the group

So u rce

cally gifted. Taking from the

middle

school

students”). The trio was a big

hit, and each member went on to

establish successful solo careers3.

Countless idols and groups have followed

these pioneers into stardom. It is estimated that between 1971 and 1975, 700 idols debuted in Japan5.

CULTURAL OVERVIEW THE GOLDEN AGE In the 1980s, popularly known as the “golden age

of idols” (aidoru no ogon jidai), roughly 40 to 50

new idols debuted each year. These local idols,

U S U DA

Club, focused the Japanese media, especially TV, on the domestic market.

In time, the cult following of celebrities acted as

Japan’s defense against global media flows and the American influence left after the US occupation. Local idols and celebrities indigenized television

programming through their regular appearances

Source: Sony Japan

led by Seiko Matsuda, Noriko Sakai, and Onyanko

on Japanese TV. Music had become so intertwined

with TV during this time that it couldn’t be appreciated outside the small screen.

S EI KO

Professional musicians weren’t the creative driving force behind the music anymore.

While the idol system matured amid intense changes in the Japanese mediascape,

post-industrial society re-

volving around information and consumption.

C LU

where the nation became a

K N O N YA

bubble economy of Japan

the late 1980s also saw the

Throughout

the

1980s,

the competition between

commercial broadcast net-

works resulted in a fight

for casting popular idols

for serial dramas. Even the

genres of television changed,

c as variety shows, talk shows, and n In yo music shows became unprecedentedly a r ny C e: Po popular in featuring idols. Sourc

Meanwhile, advertising giants Dentsu created the “CM idol” — a multipurpose commercial media star

whose fame was not only reflected by starring in TV ads, but also by singing the “image songs” that play during commercials. Corporate sponsors have

brought popular idols on board for advertising cam-

e urc So

paigns in order to achieve greater media exposure. The audience and advertisers are united by the idol.

OS AK AI

icto rM usic al In dustrie s

The bubble period brought with it an emphasis on leisure, brand fashion and travel. Idols, blessed with

the golden age, formed a new ethos of everyday life5.

CULTURAL OVERVIEW IDOL WARRIG STATES PERIOD

THE ICE AGE By the early 90s, kayoukyoku was a dead term. It

The idol revival kicked off in 1999 with the hit “Love

with a new name for the genre, these young stars

around the same mass-idol template as Onyanko

to wither, the worse it has over the last three

in Japan — the greatest number in the history of

was replaced by the term J-Pop. However, even

Machine” by Morning Musume, a group based

were burning less brightly. Public interest started

Club. Today, there are thousands of idols active

decades, bringing the idol system to an ice age.

Japanese entertainment. Given this, the 2010s have

Forward progression in J-Pop has always been

sengoku jidai) — an overpopulated scene with no

been dubbed the “idol warring states period” (aidoru

driven by imports from outside. In the 40s, it was

dominant authority and fierce competition.

the 90s, there was no new music. Idol singers and

Even though hundreds of new idols debut every year

into otaku subculture, cultivating smaller, but more

and aspire to conquer the second largest market for

jazz; in the 50s, rockabilly; and in the 60s, rock. In groups still existed, but they had become absorbed

domestically, idols overseas, notably Korea, arrive

dedicated fan bases .

physical CD albums.

In the eyes of many, J-Pop had become increasingly

To top off the competition, real-life idols must now

pertise in being able to perform multiple functions

in the market. Virtual idols have enjoyed immense

ing talk shows. Young, good-looking singers were

endorsement deals with national brands like Toyota.

artists instead of idols — to become “talents”.3

Every idol or entertainer is struggling to find a niche

stagnant and started losing its value and level of ex-

compete with virtual idols — a growing presence

from singing, acting, dancing to modeling and host-

popularity, performed “live” shows, even landing on

thus striving to become more powerful and unique

that makes them stand out8.

Namie Amuro, who gained fame as the lead singer

of Super Monkey’s, found popularity by portraying a more mature and sensual image among young girls who emulated her appearance while “kawaii” was waning out.

Despite the domestic idol recession, male idols, such as SMAP and other acts from the Johnny’s, came through with support from overseas fans, keeping the agency at the top of the pyramid.

The 1990s was the highpoint of Japanese TV dramas,

pop music, animation and manga exports, partic-

ularly in East and Southeast Asian countries. The Asia was something unexpected7.

NAMIE AMURO

Source: avex trax

favourable reception of Japanese media culture in

CULTURAL OVERVIEW

AKB48 The biggest spectacle of the AKB48 is the “selection

general election” (senbatsu sōsenkyo) — another

Source: AKS

facet of this idol-fans relationship, which enables

THE BIGGEST GIRL GROUP OF ALL TIME

fans to vote their favorite members into the limited

At the same time, the number of members within

promotional lineup for their annual singles. Ballots

that goes beyond your imagination.

tion singles” — the more CDs you buy, the more

AKB48 — “the idols that you can meet” — is the

will make it to the final lineup. AKB48 single sales

idol groups are increasing, and AKB48 is one group

are obtained by purchasing the group’s latest “elecvotes you get, the more likely your favourite member

new vision of producer Yasushi Akimoto who pro-

typically jump up about 50% during election month.

Club in the 1990s. AKB48 is comprised of over 130

AKB48’s success is made possible by what is pro-

teams and subgroups. In other words, members of

The group’s music videos bring evidence to this

and locations at the same time, even with daily

great example. In this video, kawaii is deployed

They have a system that guarantees ubiquity .

the group in lingerie to elicit glee from tweens and

From 2010 to 2016, the group’s singles have occu-

AKB48’s two largest fan bases8.

Singles Chart, and almost all of the singles have

Since 1960s, the idea of the Japanese idol has gone

for most singles sold by a female artist, highest

Matsuda and Takuya Kimura to Namie Amuro and

consecutive million-selling singles sold in Japan,

own. Thousands of young women and men have set

duced the aforementioned 52-member Onyanko members that are broken down into over a dozen

jected upon them as opposed to what they produce.

AKB48 can be meeting fans across multiple channels

claim; the kawaii-inspired “Heavy Rotation” is a

performances at the AKB48 Theater in Akihabara.

through scenes like childish pillow fights featuring

pied the top four or five spots of the Oricon Yearly

salaciousness from adult, manga-loving men —

sold over a million copies. AKB48 hold the record

through numerous transformations. From Seiko

Japanese sales of a single by a female artist, most

AKB48, Japan has made the “aidoru” concept its

most million-selling singles in Japan and more9.

their sights on becoming the next big idol, and an increasing number of them come from abroad2.

The magic of AKB48 is in the marketing, not the

music. Fans need to purchase the group’s CDs for “free” admission to exclusive “handshake greetings”. That’s a value-added proposition fans can’t get from pirated music. Money is paid in exchange

for access and proximity to the girls, achieving Akimoto’s vision.

1. E. Taylor Atkins. A History of Popular Culture in Japan (London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2017.) 2. Gianni Simone, “From cosplay fan to idol, Yuriko Tiger’s journey has been a colorful one,” The Japan Times, Feb 3, 2019. 3. Hiroshi Aoyagi, “Pop Idols and the Asian Identity,” in Japan Pop! Inside the World of Japanese Popular Culture, ed. Timothy J. Craig (Armonk: M. E. Sharpe Inc., 2000.) 4. Abigail Covington, “Unraveling a fantasy: A beginner’s guide to Japanese idol pop,” AV Club, Jul 18, 2014. 5. Patrick Galbraith and Jason Karlin, eds., Idols and Celebrity in Japanese Media Culture (Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012.) 6. Ian Martin, “‘Golden age’ of kayoukyoku holds lessons for modern J-pop,” The Japan Times, May 26, 2011. 7. Minoru Matsutani, “Pop ‘idol’ phenomenon fades into dispersion,” The Japan Times, Aug 25, 2009. 8. Ian Martin, “AKB48: The Return of Idol Music and the Rise of the Superfan,” Nippon, Aug 8, 2014. 9. Patrick Galbraith, and Jason Karlin, AKB48 (London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2019.)

ACHEIVEMENTS

MADE IN IN JAPAN JAPAN“‘‘ “‘‘ MADE

Source: Fuji Television Network

WINS WINS

SHOPLIFTERS Shoplifters, starring Lily Franky and Sakura Ando, is a Japanese drama film directed and written by

Hirokazu Kore-eda. Kore-eda wrote the screenplay contemplating the importance of family in Japanese culture, yet making us focus on an unusual kind of family on the fringe of society.

The film had already garnered significant accolades

abroad when it premiered at the 2018 Cannes Film

Festival, where it took home the highest honor — the Palme d’Or or Golden Palm trophy1. Kore-eda

became the first Japanese director to win this award in 21 years since Shohei Imamura triumphed for

The Eel in 19972.

The film, both a critical and commercial success, has since won three Mainichi Film Awards, includ-

ing Best Film and the Asia Pacific Screen Award

for Best Feature Film. It is nominated for the 91st Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best

Foreign Language Film. In the upcoming 2019 Japan Academy Prize competition (or Japanese Academy Awards), the film is also a contender for Picture of the Year and other 12 nominations.

This was one of the last films Kiki Kirin (who plays the grandmother) made before she passed away in 20183.

ACHIEVEMENTS Although Kimi no Na wa, also known as Your

Name, did not make it to the Oscars, it has been a huge box office hit worldwide. Premiering at the 2016 Anime Expo in Los Angeles in July and released

in theatres in Japan a month later, Your Name is a 2016 Japanese animated romantic fantasy drama film written and directed by Makoto Shinkai.

Your Name tells the story of a high school girl Mitshua in rural Japan and a high school boy Taki in metropolis Tokyo who swap bodies and have to

search for one another after a comet separates the two and wipes their memories of each other.

Released in 125 countries, Your Name dethroned Studio Ghibli’s Oscar-winning classic Spirited

Away as the biggest anime box office hit, grossing

over $281 million worldwide, surpassing Spirited

Away’s previous record of $275 million.

Aside from Studio Ghibli productions, it is also the first animation to top 10 billion yen at the domestic

box office, earning close to $2 million and achiev-

ing the second-largest gross for a domestic film in Japan, behind Spirited Away, Titanic and Frozen4.

The success of the film also extended beyond Japan.

In the UK, the film grossed $142 thousand on its

first-day of release (at 104 screens), breaking the record for single day gross for an anime film5.

What ultimately push it over the mark was a boost from the Chinese and South Korean box office6.

In South Korea, it earned over $20 million7. In

China, the world’s second-largest movie market,

it became the highest-grossing Japanese film,

grossing $86 million in China, and becoming the highest-grossing animated film in the country. Its

screened in over 7,000 theaters on opening day, making an estimated $10.9 million and attracting

over 2.77 million admissions, the biggest 2D animated opening in the country4.

Source: Toho Company Ltd.

KIMI NO NA WA

ACHEIVEMENTS MIRAI Together with Makoto Shinkai — the director of

romance anime blockbuster Your Name — Mamoru Hosoda is a Japanese filmmaker that Western media often likens to “Hayao Miyazaki.1”

While the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences snubbed Your Name for an Oscar nomination in 2018, it has at least done right by Hosoda

and his new film in 2019. Mirai holds the dis-

tinction of being the first movie not produced by

Studio Ghibli to come away with a Best Animated Feature Film nomination.

Mirai takes its title from the Japanese word for “future” and is also the name the four-year-

old protagonist Kun’s little sister. Kun becomes

jealous of all the attention his parents lavish on his new little sister. While throwing temper

tantrums, Kun frequently runs off to his house’s garden and encounters his sister Mirai as a teenager from the future.

The film was nominated for Best Animated Feature Film at the 76th Golden Globe Awards, Best Animated Feature at the 24th Critics’ Choice Awards,

and won Best Independent Animated Feature at the 46th Annie Awards8.

1. Joshua Meyer, “5 Japanese Films to Put You in the Oscars Mood,” GaijinPotBlog, Feb 13, 2019. 2. Donald Clarke, “Weinstein sex claims overshadow Cannes as Japanese drama wins,” The Irish Times, May 19, 2018. 3. Baidu Baike, s.v. “小偷家族,” last modified Feb 7, 2019. 4. Baidu Baike, s.v. “ 你的名字。,” last modified Oct 2, 2018. 5. Jack Shepherd, “Your Name beats Spirited Away to become highest-grossing anime ever,” Independent, Jan 17, 2017. 6. Duwell Ron, “our Name is now the biggest anime box office hit of all time, set for release in the States,” Techno Buffalo, Jan 18, 2017. 7. Gavin Blair, “How Anime ‘Your Name’ Became an Unlikely Phenomenon,” Hollywood Reporter, Jan 27, 2017. 8. Baidu Baike, s.v. “未来的未来,” last modified Feb 3, 2019. 9. Ryan Lambie, “Hayao Miyazaki to receive an honorary Oscar,” Den of Greek!, Aug 29, 2014. 10. Luke Bather, “Here’s Your Starting Point for Getting Into Studio Ghibli,” Highsnobiety, Nov 16, 2016.

Source: Toho Company Ltd.

FILMMAKERS AND AUDIENCES AROUND THE WORLD “

INSPIRED

“ A MASTER STORYTELLER WHOSE ANIMATED ARTISTRY HAS

ACHIEVEMENTS

STUDIO GHIBLI When Hayao Miyazaki, the most respected animator in Japan if not globally, announced his retirement in September 2013, millions of hearts broke. However,

the rest is well deserved as Miyazaki founded Studio Ghibli in 1985 and has worked tirelessly since, cre-

ating such masterpieces as Laputa: Castle In The

Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Princess Mononoke.

Spirited Away is the only foreign language film to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, and to

this day is the highest grossing film in Japan — the

first film to knock Titanic off its pedestal. Truly essential viewing!10

Miyazaki received an honorary Oscar at the sixth

annual Governors Awards in November 2014 — a

fitting tribute to a lifetime of exceptional, bound-

Three of Miyazaki’s films received attention at the

Oscars: Spirited Away won Best Animated Feature

in 2002, while Howl’s Moving Castle and The Wind

Rises — the director’s swansong — were both nominated for the same award . 9

ary-pushing work. Indeed, the Governors Awards

were specifically created to celebrate “lifetime

achievements, exceptional contributions to motion picture arts and sciences, and outstanding service to the Academy”9.

5.2M Followers

I K O

@I_AM_KIKO

CELEBRITY CELEBRITY PROFILES PROFILES

Born in Dallas to an American father and a Zain-

ichi-Korean mother, Kiko Mizuhara is an actress, model, designer, and Chanel-favourite based in Source: Kay-Paris Fernandes

Japan. She has emerged as one of Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most visible style leaders, amassing a huge following throughout Asia .

BoF 500 2016-17

Mizuhara was one of the six finalists in a competition run by Seventeen Japan in 2003 where she

began modelling for the magazine until 2006. She

then moved on to become an exclusive model for fashion magazine Vivi1.

Mizuhara made her debut at the Paris Collections

in Olympia Le Tanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2014 SS show, wearing a sexy rubber jacket and pants in sailor style and holding a fish-shaped bag2.

CELEBRITY PROFILES Mizuhara is a favourite of Karl Lagerfeld, having been photographed in the The Little Black Jacket campaign in 2012. She also

posted on her Instagram to commemorate Lagerfeld’s passing in February this year3.

Her exclusive sold-out collaborations with Opening Ceremony have been worn by the likes of Rihanna and Beyoncé.

In May 2016, Mizuhara graced the cover of the inaugural I-D Japan, in which she was hailed “The Future of Japan.” She starred in Diesel’s SS16

campaign alongside Joe Jonas after landing the brand’s campaigns for three years straight.

Source: kikomizuhara.com

Being a top it-girl in

her country, she has

filmed advertisements

locally and internationally,

bringing her to the attention

of fashion icons such as Karl

Lagerfeld, Marc Jacobs, and Michael Kors.

Mizuhara has also shot ad campaigns for 3.1 Phil-

lip Lim, Vivienne Tam, Reebok, Kitsuné, Tiffany &

So urc e: D

iese l

Co., Kenzo, Shiseido, and more.

In addition to her modelling work, Mizuhara acted

in her first role playing Midori in Tran Anh Hung’s

Norwegian Wood in 2010, based on the bestseller by Haruki Murakami. She has since continuously starred on the big and small screens1.

The style icon continues the trajectory she’s been

on since signing with Creative Artists Agency in

2017. Since then, she’s walked her first New York

Fashion Week, and appeared in the music video “I Feel It Coming” with The Weekend.

Source:i-D Japan

CELEBRITY PROFILES Her New York Fashion Week adventure started with Source:Tagwalk

a DM. When designer Adam Selman DM’d her about walking his Fall show, she jumped at the chance.

But she won’t walk in just any show, Mizuhara chooses her runway appearances very carefully,

opting for the truly special—like Opening Ceremony’s epic Disneyland takeover, Jeremy Scott’s

Barbie-themed Moschino extravaganza or riding

with Kaia Gerber on the Alexander Wang party bus4. In October 2017, Mizuhara launched her own clothing line OK, short for “Office Kiko” to celebrate her

27th birthday. She co-designed the collection with

her sister Yuka, who is also a bona fide style icon in Japan. Her debut collection features some laidback pieces, perfect for the everyday wardrobe5.

Named ambassador for Dior Beauty, Mizuhara is

the brand’s first Asian ambassador since March 2018 after four years of partnership4.

In June of last year, Coach announced Mizuhara as their new ambassador. She customized Coach’s

signature Charlie bag through the Coach Create

personalisation service. This limited-edition Charlie bag was available for purchase exclusively at select

Source:Kenzo

Coach stores in Japan6.

Source: Gio Staiano

Source:Vogue

CELEBRITY PROFILES Source:Office Kiko

Source:Coach

Source:Dior

So urc e: L

uestlis t

1. BoF, “Kiko Mizuhara,” accessed Feb 10, 2019. 2. “Kiko Mizuhara Debuts at the Paris Collections in Olympia Le Tan’s Show”. Fashion Headline Japan, October 2, 2013, Archived from the original on Apr 21, 2017. 3. Kiko Mizuhara (@i_am_kiko). “The Little Black Jacket.” Instagram photo, Feb 19, 2019. 4. Janelle Okwodu, “Kiko Mizuhara—Tokyo’s Biggest Model and Style Icon—On Becoming Dior’s New Girl and Bringing #MeToo to Japan,” Vogue, Apr 4, 2018. 5. Teressa Lam, “Kiko Mizuhara Launches Her Own Clothing Line, OK,” Hypebae, Oct 16, 2017. 6. Gerald Tan, “JUST IN: KIKO MIZUHARA IS COACH’S NEW AMBASSADOR,” Harper’s Bazaar Singapore, Jun 22, 2018.

wata nabe

Source:Punyus

aomi

CELEBRITY PROFILES

Source:MAINAVI

Debuting in 2007, Watanabe is an actress, comedi-

an, model, talk show host, fashion designer, brand mascot, and a fixture on numerous television networks, radio shows, and commercials.

Against her mother’s wishes, she enrolled in a Tokyo comedy school when she was 18.

Her debut was on Waratte Iitomo! (It’s O.K. to

Laugh), a daily hourlong variety show that ran

for 32 years and set the Guinness Book of World Record title for the longest running live TV variety show, accumulating 8,054 episodes1.

She catapulted to fame in 2008 for her outrageous

8.6M Followers

In 2014, she launched her own fashion line called

Punyus (loosely translated to “chubby” in English)

that stocks everything from a Japanese small all the way up to a 6X large. With a worldwide fan base

that includes Lena Dunham, the label is noted for its pop aesthetic and sense of humor.

In 2015, she became a regular cover girl for a new magazine called La Farfa, aimed at the “poccha-

ri” trend (translated into “marshmallow girls”). Its mission statement? To make larger Japanese women feel normal by not hiding what’s natural.

impersonations of Beyoncé (who she names as

Twice a year, she introduces a new collection

and “Crazy in Love” and earning her praises as

the show after Victoria’s Secret, but instead of

her biggest inspiration), singing “Dreamgirls” “the Japanese Beyoncé”.

Her repertoire now includes Beyoncé’s Super Bowl

routine, complete with black leather costume, and

with a stadium-size runway show. She models

big-name artists, she is the main attraction. She plans to spend more time in New York this year, with ambitions to open a Punyus store.

Lady Gaga impersonations, in which she exag-

She is no stranger to the metropolis: recently fea-

songs on TV variety shows.

MetroBoomin, SZA and Bria Vinaite.

gerates their dance moves while lip-syncing their

@WATANABE NAOMI703

tured in a Gap Logo Remix ad, dancing alongside

Source:Gap

Source: Vittorio Zunino Celotto

CELEBRITY PROFILES There’s a new 224-page photo book, Naomi, which

celebrates her 10th year in the business and her status as Japan’s most-followed person on Instagram.

With over 8 million followers on Instagram, she is currently the highest paid influencer in Japan4. She’s also making waves in fashion, sitting at recent GCDS, Fendi and Gucci runway shows2.

She appeared at Milan Fashion Week for Furla,

Source:Numero Tokyo

and most recently she attended Gucci’s Spring 2019 runway show, dressing the part in head to

toe Gucci gear, and her hair styled into enormous multicolored braids.

For the latest Fendi party in Tokyo, finding a

Naomi-sized garment meant organizing a search

squad: “We had like 50 people trying to find a product I could fit in! Eventually we found a floor-length Source:@fashionsnap Twitter

skirt that worked3.

She was also named one of Vogue Japan’s “Women of the Year” in 2016, partly because she’d set clear goals and achieved them, notably going on a

“world tour” to Los Angeles, New York and Taipei last year2.

In 2018, she landed a spot on TIME Magazine’s

latest list of the 25 most influential people on the internet, alongside U.S. President Donald Trump5.

Source:jouetie.com

ndi Source:Fe

Joanna Nikas, “Popular Japanese Comedian Wants to Bring Her Plus-Size Fashion to the U.S.,” The New York Times, Feb 2, 2018. 2. Anna Fifield, “In super-skinny Japan, Naomi Watanabe is chubby and proud,” The Washington Post, Feb 8, 2017, 3. Ashley Clarke, “Naomi Watanabe, the “Beyoncé of Japan,” Is Taking Down Sizeism in Tokyo—And Becoming a Fashion Icon,” Vogue, Oct 18, 2017. 4. Kati Chitrakorn, “Tokyo’s Cult of Exclusivity Rules Fashion Week,” BoF, March 2018. 5. Cady Lang, “The 25 Most Influential People on the Internet,” TIME, Jun 30, 2018.

A A

o t mo

CELEBRITY PROFILES

A model, actress, DJ and street style extraordinaire, Akimoto Kozue is Japan’s it girl.

Famous for her sleek black hair, blunt cut bangs, and wardrobe to match, the Tokyo-based model is

adored by street style photographers, making her a

front-row regular at fashion weeks.

As the daughter of champion sumo-wrestler Chi-

yonofuji Mitsugu, Akimoto has been in the public

kozue

eye from a young age1.

After graduating from Tokai University, she started

her career as an actress, making her first appearances in supporting roles in Japanese television dramas

and reality programmes since her first cameo role on an episode of Bokura No Jidai in 20072.

Akimoto made her name in the MTV Japan proSource:Hermès

gramme Shibuhara Girls, which premiered in 2011.

It was a reality programme that followed the lives of youths in Japan.

She also appeared on Hermès’s advertising as the Japanese representative the same year and made

her international runway debut walking for Olym-

Source:ndigitalimages.com

pia Le Tan in 2015 3.

Although she has since transitioned more into modelling, she continues to undertake video and film work, having most recently been a voice actor in Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs, released in 20181.

Akimoto is also a DJ and has hosted a radio programme since 2014. She has always been part of

Japan’s night scene. She’s DJed for Coach Japan’s Anniversary party and a NARS launch party4.

Her unique look has also had her featured in Vogue

Taiwan, Harper’s Bazaar China, Grazia and Elle Japan, as well as Hypebae, Nylon, and GQ Japan.

@AKIMOTO_KOZUE 5.2M Followers

CELEBRITY PROFILES

ou rce :

Ch loe

Despite be-

ing only 165cm

tall, her strong pres-

ence has enabled Akimoto to walk on runways in

Japan, Milan, and Paris fashion weeks, be featured in campaigns for Givenchy, Kenzo and Adidas1,

Source:Akimoto’s Instagram

and collaborate with Dior, Chloe, Sonia Rykiel,

Source:Indigital.tv

Givenchy, Shiseido, and Comme des Garçon5.

In 2018, she walked Matthew Williams‘ coveted 1017 ALYX 9SM show6. Last year also saw her marriage with Japanese actor Shota Matsuda.

Among her many accolades, Akimoto has released

two books; her most recent title Kozue 2017-2018, launched in May 2018 in honour of her 30th birthday.

The book is a compilation of work from illustrators, writers, and photographers1.

Akimoto is a huge star in Japan, but not quite as

well-known in New York. She’s often photographed on the streets in really avant-garde, high-fashion stuff from Comme des Garçons, Rick Owens, or Sacai7.

Until recently, Kozue has been known to be clad

in black 99% of the time. Currently she is branching out in terms of colours but she sticks to darker tones with a few pops to highlight details.

She loves pairing black and red, both in terms of

makeup or clothing. Her clothing style is a mix of Harajuku frou-frou and sleek urban chic. But no

matter what outfit she dons, red lips and eyeliner are a must!4

Source:Adam Katz Sinding

BoF 500 2018

BoF, “Akimoto Kozue,” accessed Feb 20, 2019. 2. Rasti Annisa Iwan, “5 Things to know about Kozue Akimoto,” Be Asia, October 9, 2015. 3. Vogue Japan, “アキモト・コズエ（秋元梢） / Kozue Akimoto.” 4. Hanan Haddad, “BAZAAR SPOTLIGHT: MEET AKIMOTO KOZUE, JAPAN’S STREET STYLE SUPERSTAR,” Harper’s Bazaar, May 26, 2017. 5. Alina Gazizova, “Which Female Influencers Dominate in Japan?” AsiaKOL , Feb 24, 2017. 6. Tora Northman, “Kozue Akimoto Talks Fashion, Modeling and Growing Up in Japan,” Hypebae, Sep 19, 2018. 7.7. Laird Borrelli-Persson, “The Best Runway Cameos of the Spring 2018 Shows,” Vogue, Oct 16, 2017.

A A CELEBRITY PROFILES

dance was Dolce & Gabbana FW18 in Milan2.

By far, one of their biggest modelling moments to date was D&G when they walked the SS18 Millennials show in Tokyo with an audience of the industry’s most recognizable names3.

Source: Jacopo Raule

Now at fashion shows, the twin sisphotographers’ cameras.

Hailing from Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, the sisters grew up in a family running a clothier. They had

“Since we were in the fourth grade of elementary

school, we would decide what to wear by ourselves,” Aya said.

After dropping out of high school, they worked part Jou etie

time to save money and came to Tokyo when they

u So

were just 15. They modeled for fashion magazines

and auditioned for fashion jobs, gradually expanding their career.

Somehow in between the duo’s crazy schedules, they also find time to launch their online clothing

Sporting bright pink bobbed hair and wearing

store Jóuetie in 20111.

better known by their combined name AMIAYA.

Jóuetie stocks a range of cool, colourful pieces and

thick eyeliner, Japanese twins Ami and Aya are

AMIAYA work as fashion models, singers, DJs, and

even opened stores in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

the creative powers of their brand Jóuetie.

“Based on the street style, we mix colors and vin-

At 30 years old, the sisters’ coordinated outfits re-

personally, so that we never be the same as the

tage silhouette in order to express ourselves more

ceived strong recognition, and their names have

others,” Ami said4.

invitation lists ever since1.

However, there was a time when they felt uncom-

Although they set their foot into the industry way

they were twins, especially when they were teen-

stardom when they began touring fashion weeks

week in 2016, someone asked them, “You look

been on a variety of luxury brands’ runway show

fortable drawing attention to themselves because

back in 2007 as amateur models, they shot to

agers. When they were invited to Milan fashion

in February 2017 as a means to “learn lessons by

alike. Are you twins?”

viewing the events up close”.

ters are regularly bathed in flashes of

discovered and loved fashion in their childhood.

rc e:

M I A Y A

Their first major fashion week atten-

SourcDiFa

CELEBRITY PROFILES Ami and Aya aren’t satisfied with their status quo

now, because “only one year has passed since we started touring the world” and they have yet to

fulfill their dream of “becoming Japan’s representative figures in the fashion industry.”2

The twins have been tapped by Fendi and Diesel, just to name a few, to star in their #MeAndMyPeekaboo and #BeAFollower campaigns.

Ami and Aya won’t be going anywhere soon, so get

your phones (and wardrobes) ready for some major style inspiration when the pink-haired twins take on fashion week next.

@AMIXX AMIAYA 189K Followers

Such remarks taught them that being twins can in

fact be their selling point. If they dress the same

Source: Diesel

way, their appearances would grab more attention. They then dyed their hair pink and seriously start-

ed pursuing “twinning” by wearing similar outfits. They are petite. Aya is 158 centimeters tall, while Ami is 160 centimeters tall. “We strive to make a strong presence by wearing high heels and puffy outer clothes, for example,” Ami said.

Each twin has her own strength, a trait they make

the best use of in their fashion — Ami comes up with surprising ideas on layered fashion, and Aya

coordinates accessories, all to achieve their elegant fashion with pop Tokyo colors . 1

They are literally everywhere! Their schedule is so tight that when they tour fashion weeks, they have

to change clothes quickly in the car at hourly intervals.

Source: Fendi

@AYAXX AMIAYA 221K Followers

1. Sanae Nokura, “Twin Fashion Icons AMIAYA,” The Japan News, Feb 22, 2019. 2. Yohei Goto, “Suzuki twins join forces as Amiaya to excite fashion event audiences,” The Asahi Shimbun, Feb 12, 2019. 3. Georgia Cate, “Meet the Pink-Haired Twins Who Dominated The Autumn Fashion Show Frony Rows,” Grazia Australia, last accessed Feb 23, 2019. 4. HF Crew, “Dreamy Double: 因為夢想，令日本雙胞胎AMIAYA有著這三種身份！” Hokk Fabrica, Jan 11, 2016.

KK CELEBRITY PROFILES

imura

Source: ELLE Japan

5.2M Followers

Born as Mitsuki Kimura, the second daughter of

After making a surprise appearance at Chanel’s

Kimura and singer/actress Shizuka Kudo, Kōki de-

debut cover, the 16-year-old is taking significant

Japan’s most successful boy band SMAP Takuya buted on Elle Japan’s July cover in 20181.

Her name, and her parents’ names, immediately became the most searched thing on the internet in Japan2.

Prior to the issue release, Kōki first posted her first official Instagram post on May 24 last year, with a

mysterious post hinting at big things to come before her official debut announcement. Teaser clips

followed to generate a buzz around Elle’s new superstar model.

@KOKI OFFICIAL _0205 Haute Couture Spring 2019 fashion show after her steps towards her goal of becoming a top model.

In September of last year, she became the first Japanese Ambassador for Chanel Beauty1.

A month later, during the last News Week in the

Heisei period, Kōki, as a representative of the new generation, was selected as the face of an ad published in 74 newspapers by The Japan Newspaper

Publishers and Editors Association to promote reading newspapers to the whole nation3.

Source: Yoshio Tsunoda

O K I

Source: ELLE Japan

Her greatest achievement so far? Joining the starstudded Bvlgari family like Lady Kitty Spencer and Bella Hadid, reigning as the brand’s youngest ambassador and the first from Japan.

“My dream is to become a model who can captivate audiences by portraying a wide range of charac-

ters. I realise that this is not a dream that is easily achieved. But as a member of the Bvlgari family who

warmly welcomed me, I will boldly open the doors to this dream and continue rising up to the challenge,” Kōki said.

Though shielded from the limelight for the majority of her childhood by her famous parents, Kōki

started working hard towards her modeling dream since she was young, taking up English, French and

Spanish classes all while learning flute, and piano to hone her musical talents.

Source: Bvlgari Source: Hochi

“Kōki engages in honest self-reflection and constantly strives to become who she needs to be for her new dream career. With these qualities, it is

only natural that we welcome her as a member of the Bvlgari family,” says a statement issued by the jewellery house1.

Debuted less than a year ago, she has already graced

the covers of Elle Japan, Elle Hong Kong, Elle Sin-

gapore, Elle Girl, SuperElle China, Nylon Japan, Numéro Tokyo, and Grazia China.

She also took home the Elle Girl Rising Star at the 2018 Elle Cinema Award, although she has never

been in an actual film. It seems that Elle thinks Kō-

Source: Bvlgari

ki’s is a rising star, despite not yet having taken off2. With all of these significant achievements estabSource: IC

lished so young and so early on in her career, on top of her million followers on Instagram, we can only assume that we’ll be seeing a lot more of Kōki from here on out.

1. Oona McGee, “Daughter of Japanese idol and former SMAP star Takuya Kimura makes her modeling debut in Japan,” Japan Today, May 30, 2018. 2. Alya Zulkernai, “5 Facts About Bvlgari’s New Ambassador, Kōki,” Female Mag, Aug 18, 2018. 3. 3. Baidu Baike, s.v. “Muchuan Guangxi 木村光希,” last modified Dec 23, 2018.

Q&Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S WITH LENA Photography by Freida Wang

COVER STORY ena Nasu-Yu, aka Lena Lem-

Her main social platform is Insta-

Japanese influencer based in

back before her blog. When asked

on, is a half Chinese and half Toronto. She first started on

Instagram in 2013 (she “technically

started 2015 for fashion stuff” [sic]) before transitioning to a platform

gram, which she started using way about her social following, she hum-

bly downplayed her influence, despite having over 21k followers.

that let her fully express her ideas

“My main social platform is Insta.

tion. On her blog, lenalemon.com,

media platform. My blog/Instagram

and thoughts beyond a one-line capshe talks about a wide range of topics that interest her — from outfit

ideas, beauty tips, to travel diaries since 2015.

Though identifying as a hafu, she told

me that she resonates with her Japanese roots more.

“I'm a Canadian-born half Japanese

I don't really use any other social focuses mainly on fashion and beauty.

Although I wouldn't say I have a large following, there's plenty of bloggers out there with way more followers

than me, I do realize that I'm still

influential to my audience. And I'm really honoured by that. Everyday

I'm so thankful that I get to share my thoughts and help inspire people.”

half Chinese mix! Although, I'd defi-

nitely say I identify more with my Japanese side, as my mother is Japa-

nese and I spent more time with her, and that side of the family.”

The idea of blogging first came to her back in my second year of university.

“I did it pretty casually and not at

all often. But it wasn't until a couple years later that I noticed my blog

gaining traction, and I figured I should be a bit more serious about it.”

Follow her at

@_LENA LEMON 27

COVER STORY

What is your favourite anime or manga that you read or watch?

I like soooooo many! It’s too hard to

choose a favourite! But I am a huge fan of Studio Ghibli.

As a hafu, are you familiar

with Chinese, Japanese, or Korean pop culture?

I am a bit ashamed to say this, but

I’m definitely more familiar with Japanese and even Korean pop culture

than I am with Chinese pop culture despite me being half Chinese... But

regardless of how familiar I am with them, I think evewry ethnicity has such a unique pop culture.

Source: @_lenalemon

Why do you consume this pop culture?

I think one reason why is because,

growing up in North America, Asians rarely existed in North American pop

culture. In order to connect with any-

thing Asian-related, you’d have to

follow actual East Asian pop culture. There’s something nice about watching a tv show in your mother tongue,

and of course an all Asian cast. Even if

it wasn’t in my [first] language, I still

felt more of a connection than with a Western show.

What do you think are its appeals and strengths?

It’s crazy because when

as I kid I loved characters like Hello Kitty. However, during elementary school, I slowly became more self conscious and embarrassed about

my Hello Kitty pencil case, my Sailor Moon t-shirt, and whatnot. It

seemed socially unacceptable. So if

you asked me then, I may have said that there are none. Because I want-

ed to hide it all and I was ashamed of it.

But now, big name Western brands are collaborating with these charac-

ters. Heck, some of these characters are even considered “hype” now.

It’s kind of crazy when I think about it. But it also makes me happy that these characters from Japanese pop culture are spreading and becoming globally popular.

I think one of the reasons why East

Asian pop culture in general is see-

ing a rise in popularity is because of shows/movies like To All The Boys

I’ve Loved Before and Crazy Rich Asians that sheds some light on East Asian culture [in Western main-

stream media].

Why do you feel socially unaccepted to like Hello

Kitty and other characters when you were young?

Characters like Hello Kitty seemed very childish and I thought I was too old to be liking it. I felt embarrassed that I was into â&#x20AC;&#x153;childishâ&#x20AC;? things.

Any specific characters in mind? What caused you to think so?

Well for one, Sailor Moon is becoming super mainstream whereas it was

more popular only within the younger generations before. Another example

is Hello Kitty. Herschel just recently released a Hello Kitty collaboration. And it sold out instantly!

COVER STORY

because they’re who I go to for in-

influencers whose content I genuine-

Brands usually ask for one post and

Do you follow any celebrities? Why so?

I definitely do. And I do

spiration. I only follow celebrities/ ly like and find inspiring.

reached out to you?

As will most brand col-

laborations and paid partnerships, it

is for a certain marketing campaign.

one story but of course, this can vary.

famous Japanese celebrities. Some of

Im, Chriselle Lim, and Aimee Song.

Honestly, I don’t think I have any

Who do you follow? What do you like about them?

I actually don’t follow any

the influencers I do follow are Jenn

Have you worked with any

fashion or luxury brands before? If yes, what were the collaborations about?

I have worked with a few large name brands like Lancôme, Coach, and

Links of London. Most of my collabs

are either with fashion or beau-

ty brands. They’re pretty standard product collabs aha!

Do you know why brands

What are your charms as an influencer? Was your ethnic background or being an Asian Canadian a

factor leading up to the collabs?

charm LOL! I just do what I enjoy and

I hope others like it too. However, I do like to be as authentic and genu-

ine as I can. I try to show my true self both in my captions and my photos. Sometimes [my ethnic background]

was [a factor leading up to the collabs], sometimes it wasn’t. It really

depends on every collaboration. For example, I did a few Lunar New Year

blog posts and my ethnic background definitely affected their decision to work with me.

LUNAR NEW YEAR ! !

COVER STORY

What are the outcomes of the collabs?

It’s been really nice to see

a rise in ethnicity-related collabs. Ev-

ery year, I find that brands are being more and more respectful and putting

more importance on East Asian holi-

days/culture. And, as someone with a

large East Asian follower base, I think they appreciate it too!

you were gifted a Tiffany

ring when you turned 19. Was it just a family tra-

dition? Or a Japanese custom?

I see you do own and

It was when I turned 20. In Japan,

with “haute” streetwear

ki which translates to “Coming of

style a few designer items like Off-white here and

there but you also wear fast fashion (I love your anime t-shirts!) in your outfit posts. What do you think about

there is a ceremony called seijin shi-

Age”. In Japan, 20 is considered the entry to adulthood so it’s a pretty big deal. And in my family, it’s become a bit of a tradition to gift jewelry.

it matches my style, then I’ll get it.

are high quality, and I’m trying to

Honestly, I just wanted to be unique

items, as opposed to fast fashion.

any of those directly inspired me...

luxury brands?

I appreciate luxury brands, but not

just for the sake of being considered a

luxury brand. If I like how it looks and But I do like that most luxury brands

transition over to more sustainable

Specifically, I saw that

Just a side question! What inspired you to dye your hair pink or red? Perhaps

Harajuku fashion or even

some anime characters?

and go for it. I don’t think I would say But I’m sure it did affect my perception of coloured hair.

Source: Entertainment Weekly

COVER STORY

CRAZY RICH ASIAS?

Any future collabs/projects to anticipate?

I’ve got a couple collab-

orations lined up, but those will be a surprise;) I definitely think East Asian pop culture is on the rise here

in North America and I’m excited to see how it’ll look in a few years!

Rola, Model & TV Personality

Source: Supreme, Spice.eplus.jp

GLORY IN THE GLOBAL EAST

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