Japanese street style: Gothic Lolita
Gothic Lolita emerged during the 1990s, inspired by the theatrical outfits worn by members of Visual Kei rock bands. One of the most influential of these was Malice Mizer (1992–2001), whose leader Mana established the 'Moi-même-Moitié' fashion label in 1999. Visual Kei and Gothic Lolita owe much to the 1980s British Gothic Rock scene and the androgyny associated with David Bowie, Marc Bolan and their New Romantic successors. Despite their often ghoulish appearance, Gothic Lolitas are no less concerned with innocence and cuteness than their Sweet Lolita counterparts.
Gothic Lolitas at the V&A, May 2012
Moi-même-Moitié
'Moi-même-Moitié' is one of the best-known Gothic Lolita labels. It was established by Mana of Malice Mizer in 1999 with the strap-line ‘Elegant Gothic Lolita Aristocrat Vampire Romance’. It has two main lines: Elegant Gothic Lolita (EGL) for women and Elegant Gothic Aristocrat (EGA) for men. The use of dark ultramarine blue in combination with black is a distinctive feature of the MMM look.
Alice Auaa
Alice Auaa was established in 1995 by the self-taught Osaka-based designer Yasutaka Funakoshi after he had spent two years importing Punk, Fetish, New Wave and Gothic clothing from London. While Alice Auaa promotes itself through magazines such as the iconic Gothic & Lolita Bible, its concern with S&M, bondage and Gothic horror set it apart from mainstream Gothic Lolita labels.
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British Asian Style: Fashion and Textiles
South Asian textiles have shaped British fashion and dress for centuries, from the fashionable chintzes of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, t…
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