The Harajuku district along with Shibuya is one of the leading districts in youth fashion. The area is like a theme park for young Japanese women, offering a wealth of clothing stores for all tastes. Shibuya continuously sets new trends in fashion, with the concept of kawaii as a keyword. Harajuku fashion is creative, sometimes eccentric to older generations, but freely incorporates a sense of taste proper to the Harajuku spirit. On the weekends, the streets fill with people in the most extravagant dresses.
Perhaps the best known icon of this fashion trend is Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, a world famous singer who pushed the Harajuku style fad on young girls. Today he has gained international popularity, which has allowed him to perform concerts around the world, and he continually attracts the attention of young people for his sense of fashion. With a predilection for light colors with lots of ripples, combined with pastel colored socks and colored bows, this style is called “Fairy Kei”, which gives an impression of fluffy and light clothing, like that of a fairy.
So what is style kawaii of fashion in Harajuku? There are several fashion trends in Harajuku, including the Gothic style that is inspired by the medieval period, the lolita style that is based on Victorian fashion. But there are no set rules for fashion kawaii. The Harajuku style approach is not about looking cute from the male perspective, but about expressing what one truly thinks is cute, emphasizing the female point of view. Having your own sense of fashion without fear of the prejudices of others, and using daring colors to the maximum, is what allows this form of expression.
Walking through Harajuku you can get a great impression. A girl can walk by with a 12-inch teddy around her neck, use a giant ring that says dokidoki (Japanese for a racing heart), colorful socks, and exaggerated platform shoes. Or then you can see another girl with a gigantic bow on her head, with many colorful necklaces. Accessories are a fundamental part of this fashion.
Since 2009, events have been held to introduce the idea of kawaii in the world, which has been successful in 20 cities. In October, the Harajuku Kawaii, a festival dedicated to this culture. The entire Harajuku district turned into a fashion show. Japanese culture of kawaii continues to evolve and attracts more and more Japanese and people from around the world.
