Category Archive for Tokyo + Japan
NUDE AND RUDE: TOKYO EMO GOTH PUNK ALTERNATIVE CLOTHING STORE, KOENJI ZOMBIE HORROR BOUTIQUE.
I’ve photographed pretty much all the Gothic Lolita Punk stores in Tokyo (all the posts are in my Shopping Guide) — but I’d never gotten around to Nude n’ Rude in Koenji. Til now. The boutique is an anomaly in Japan: the brands are American and British, and the clothing style can best be described as Emo / Scene / American Alternative.
Kana and I braved the rain to try on cute kitty bags and Iron Fist shoes. (Coming up on this blog — a zombie promo with the shoe brand!)
Nude and Rude carries neon Western alt/punk labels such as Kreepsville, Charles of London, and Jessica Louise.
Isn’t it funny how people want what they can’t have? We covet Goth and Lolita brands sold only in Japan… while the Japanese come to Nude n’ Rude for Western clothes they consider “special and rare.”
Kana picked up two bat hair clips. Raisu and Satsuki have the skeleton hands necklace on display.
Kana tried on several Shrine dresses (again, a US Goth brand that’s hard to find in Japan).
Whcih one do you like best on her? I’m a fan of the bat print.
Casual hoodies and cut-up band t-shirts. Sex Pistols, Bauhaus, Siouxsie.
The boutique was filled with old photos of Jeffree Star, Audrey Kitching and Raquel Reed.
You could pick up the latest issue of Girls with Corpses Magazine. Or a zombie eye bag.
I didn’t buy anything since (as a North American) I can find these Western brands everywhere I turn. However, I urge you to visit Nude n’ Rude, a unique indie store that sometimes throws colorful parties.
Just don’t be too cute… or you might get knifed!
For address and directions to Nude and Rude in Koenji, visit the store blog. You can see full reports about Tokyo’s best indie/alt/Goth/Punk fashion in my Shopping Guide.
Finally… unveiling our La Carmina & The Pirates business card! Our coolhunting / Japan TV arranging / promoting company is starting out superbly, so we decided to print full-color sticker business cards. (Who wants one?) Don’t you love the Pirate Basil design Naomi created?
What are your thoughts on “scene” and “emo” style? It often gets derided… However, I think these Japanese girls pulled it off relatively well.
Japanese Word of the Day: Kimokawaii = Creepy-cute
Song of the Day: NoGoD – Ring-a Ring-o
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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA GOTH STEAMPUNK CLOTHING SHOPS & INDUSTRIAL NIGHTCLUBS. TOKYO, JAPAN HALLOWEEN PARTIES.
Time for a “moriawase” or “meli-melo” post of odds and ends! My new Global Gothic column for Lip Service Webzine is up. This month, we go down under to Sydney, Australia — and explore its darkest and most fashionable spots. You can read it here.
Not long ago, Team Spooky took over an Ikebukuro izakaya. From left to right: Tatsu (of legendary hardcore punk band Gastunk, who plays in The Killing Red Addiction with ex-X Japan’s Taiji). Mistress Maya (of Goth/Industrial party Midnight Mess and Alanis Morissette karaoke fame). Cotton Bale (in gorgeous gold Dr. Martens). And Kana (the absinthe jelly genius). She’s dressed for a “Roman Funeral” Japanese TV show event!
We went to see our friends 101A perform at Ikebukuro Black Hole. The serial killer / cute bunny mascot is brilliant, don’t you think?
Japanese steampunk style icon, Kenny Creation, showed us his new cage necklace. On the left: my skull and gem rings from Closet Child. (I’m trying desperately to organize my jewelry… do you have any suggestions? Maybe I can arrange them in elegant teak boxes, like the ones at jewelryboxes123.com?)
“Voice is sheer and whimsical. Sound waves are like sucking in air. Various pieces remind you of shoegazer, grunge, industrial, Bristol sound.” An excellent performance by the rising band 101A.
Who’s excited for Halloween? Undead fashion model Yukiro Dravarious rises from the grave to inform you about Tokyo’s best Halloween parties this year. If you are in Japan, you should definitely check them out. Watch the video above, and check out my Tokyo Goth Nightlife guide for URLs, maps, photos and directions.
Drumroll please… announcing the winners of the Gloomth contest! Via random selection, the lucky pirates are HagumiW ($250), RoseBud ($100), and Pamela Quevedo ($50). Congratulations! I’m announcing another huge new giveaway next week, so please don’t despair… there are plenty more opportunities ahead.
Finally, shout-outs to RaSh Ro for the fan art above (I love seeing your artwork; email me and I’ll post it). Thank you also to Dominion Magazine for interviewing me about Harajuku Goth fashion and nightlife.
Anyone have exciting weekend plans? My list: X Japan concert, Takashi Miike film screening, photoshoot for a magazine cover, nightcrawling at a Goth EBM club, lavender lattes. And most importantly, squishing my cat.
Japanese Word of the Day: Gura gura = Wobbly
Song of the Day: Diamanda Galas – Gloomy Sunday (the Hungarian suicide song)
LA CARMINA
