Cecil McBee, Liz Lisa & Japanese gyaru brands: pastel lace fashion. In Tokyo for a TV show!
Earless cat backpacks? My Scottish Fold kitty, Basil Farrow, approves!
Japanese fashion lovers, you can rejoice. This post is all about gyaru-kawaii clothing…
… and there’s more on the way. I’m happy to announce that I’ll be in Tokyo (late Nov to mid Dec), working on a new TV show!
The Pirates (our Japan fixing, arranging and hosting company) are once again teaming up with a German television network. We can’t reveal much about the episode, but it’ll involve the usual kooky Jpop culture, and has something to do with the “Basil in a Box” photo above.
And of course, I’ll find time to bring you reports about the latest Tokyo trends.
Since many of you enjoyed my post about Gothloli stores in Vivre, let’s continue our tour of this Yokohama youth department store. This time, we’ll focus on gyaru (gal) and kawaii brands, including Liz Lisa and Cecil McBee.
You may have noticed I’ve been wearing a lot of Liz Lisa, such as in Belgrade. I like to mix and match items, rather than wearing the brand head-to-toe (LL is too pink and girly for me). I think their aesthetic is well executed, from the swirling font to the rose-studded makeup.
How cute are the little plush lambs, with pink heart-shaped noses?
This lace-covered dress, from Liz Liza’s My Melody (Sanrio) collection, is my current favorite. (Remember I wore it in my Adone Magazine cover shoot.) I bought the light blue one because of the Alice in Wonderland vibe. It was less than $100 US — insane, for the quality and design!
Cecil McBee is another well-known gyaru brand, with a more urban vibe. A favorite of trendy Shibuya girls.
In Japan, a cute cat-face purse fits every style subgroup (Goth, Lolita, gyaru).
Elegant pastel and black shoes with metallic accents.
Blue Moon Blue has a bright, casual look.
Light, wide-neck sweaters and soft pastels are everywhere.
A lot of gyaru boutiques sell the same or similar items. Prices are quite reasonable; these “set items” are about $50.
Happy face backpack, anyone?
I love these artistic cat purses and wallets. I wish I got some at the time…
What’s new in the world of Tokyo shoes? Pastel creepers, platforms and sequins.
Colorful punk pop. I always buy shoes when I’m in Japan, as they’re very well priced and the designs are outstanding.
Not sure what’s going on with this poster.
Tokyo fashion has something for everyone. You can be a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world.
Yokohama Vivre contains a Swimmer shop. No scuba equipment here, but tons of cute accessories and homewares.
Would you choose the cat or the bear purse?
Swimmer’s a funny mix of cute and ugly. (More about Swimmer in this post.)
What do you think of Japanese gyaru and kawaii clothes? If you’d like to see more of Liz Lisa, check out my Hong Kong gyaru shop photos.
I think the only downside of going to Japan is being away from this cat-face!
Is there anything you’d like me to cover while I’m in Tokyo? Places, shops, bars?
All previous blog posts about Japan are here, and my shopping / clubbing guides are linked in the right sidebar.
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Chinese Fairy photoshoot: fashion modeling in Hong Kong. Long Japanese dress & purple red hair.
How is your week going? I’m getting ready for my upcoming trip to Asia… I’ll announce it in the next post!
When I was in Hong Kong this summer, I did a photoshoot with the same talented team that created my Dark Beauty cover look. These are published today in M.Bellish magazine, along with an interview and front page feature.
Finally, I can reveal these images to you. The concept is inspired by fairies of Chinese mythology — but with my signature kawaii twist.
My long, romantic dress is by the Japanese label “Comme l’un.” The crown and shawl are handmade.
Let me tell you — this shot took some time to achieve. Photographer Ken threw the gauzy scarves in the air, and then ran back to fire away with the camera. In some shots, you could still see his body in the frame!
We did the photoshoot with a studio setup. After, Ken added the full moon effects in the background.
Photographer and post-production: Ken Yuen
Assistant photographer: Jacqueline Kwok (noircorner)
Shadow effects, from my bottom false lashes. My hair color and style are by Stephanie Hoy of Avant Garde Hair Studio. She also did my recent turquoise colored hairstyle.
Even my nail art matched the lavender color scheme. This is one of my favorites to date — Sanrio’s Kuromi and skulls — by Glam Nail Studio.
Jacqueline Kwok (noircorner) took behind-the-scenes images throughout the day. Close-up on the back of my dress, and purple-red curls.
Funny enough, we set up the equipment in… a dog-grooming and training studio. Hence the funny posters of pups in top hats and monocles.
What do you think of our Chinese fairy photoshoot? Thanks to M.Bellish for interviewing me about my career and style; you can read the feature and see more photos on their site.
More professional shoots to be revealed soon; can’t believe I’ll be on two magazine covers in December-January. One of these is focused on Asia travel, and the other is about alternative fashion.
If you enjoyed these images, also check out my Hong Kong street style shoot with Ken and Jacky.
For more travel and fashion articles about Hong Kong, take a look around this category. Topics include cute Causeway Bay boutiques (like Izzue Hyoma above), molecular cocktails, Alice in Wonderland bars and more. I love this city.
There is more Hong Kong coverage on the way… including a video and report from a HK cat cafe that houses several Scottish Folds.
Have you added me and Basil Farrow on Facebook yet? We promise to post more cute photos like the one above!
LA CARMINA
