Category Archive for Tokyo + Japan
D’ESPAIRSRAY IS ON HIATUS DUE TO HIZUMI’S THROAT PROBLEMS. SACRED DEER OF NARA PARK, JAPAN BUDDHIST TEMPLE GROUNDS TAME DEER.
Brace yourself… another Visual Band is temporarily leaving the stage. D’espairsRay has announced they will be on hiatus after their current overseas tour.
Like Jui from Vidoll, vocalist Hizumi is suffering from throat problems caused from a past illness. The Jrock group plans to give their all for the remaining “Human-clad Monsters” tour stops, and hopes none will be cancelled. Afterwards, however, all four members will be taking a break from performing and recording until Hizumi recovers.
I’m so glad I was able to see D’espairsRay play in Seattle, before their hiatus. Let’s wish them well — you can leave them a comment of support. Coming right up: exclusive photos and a review of their show.
Now for something happier… remember when Yukiro and I took a trip to Nara, the ancient Japanese capital in Kansai? Nara is famous for its sacred, tame deer that roam through the park and Buddhist temple grounds. So we had the genius idea of incorporating them into a fashion-forward photoshoot.
The deer are all over Nara. They’re the embodiments of Zen calm. Visitors can hand-feed the deer, pet them, hug them…
However, the deer have probably never seen cyber-furry fashion before!
Top: h.NAOTO Blood (I wore it in our Abandoned Curse B-movie)
Skirt: Algonquins
Purple lace tights: Very old…
Have you ever visited Nara? You must make the day-trip if you’re in Osaka; it’s about an hour away by subway. You can see the rest of our Nara photos in this post.
Got thoughts and well-wishes for D’espairsRay? Let’s be their Little Monsters and show our support!
Japanese Word of the Day: Setsunai = Melancholy, bittersweet, sad, sentimental
Song of the Day: D’espairsRay – Monsters
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H.NAOTO GOTH NIGHT TOKYO: 2010 FASHION RUNWAY SHOW, HEAVEN HARAJUKU. JAPANESE GOTHIC MODELS IN DECONSTRUCTED CLOTHING.
Frightening figures in feathered masks… where am I? At a cult gathering, like in the Eyes Wide Shut film? Close: I took the Sony Australia TV crew to h.Naoto Goth Night, a presentation of Naoto-san’s latest fashion designs (held August 28th in Harajuku).
PS: why am I wearing a maid outfit? Earlier, the TV show and I were at the Japan Cosplay Festival. I’ll have photos from that shoot (and more) coming up…
Each guest received and wore a mask, creating a dark carnival / ritual atmosphere inside. h.NAOTO designer Hirooka Naoto is a sweetheart. My coffin backpack was designed by him — hence my funny face!
Most of the onlookers arrived in their Goth-est garments. Some were dressed head-to-toe in h.NAOTO.
These Victorian ladies could star in their own fashion show. (The h.NAOTO Goth Night took place at the Heaven store in Harajuku; there are photos, maps and more here.)
The models walked up and down the long hallway, holding up numbers (which corresponded to their garments). The guests held clip-boards and wrote down notes about each coordinate.
h.NAOTO has many collections built around different motifs, such as Blood (punk) and Frill (Lolita). This runway show was all about Goth. Black, tattered tops and tiered Victorian skirts. Elaborate lace head-wraps. I’m a fan of the blue/black striped stockings and leather witch shoes.
h.NAOTO played up draping and deconstruction. Over 20 models walked, and the procession of styles held my interest until the end.
After the show, Naoto-san talked about the creation process of the latest Goth collection. His assistants brought out racks of clothing for the guests to browse and buy. In another room, there was the love of my life: free food and alcohol.
Wish you could have seen the models in motion? Above and here is an official video of the h.NAOTO catwalk. (There will also be clips in the Australian travel show, airing next year.)
Are you fond of h.NAOTO? What do you think about his latest runway show, and the Eyes Wide Shut atmosphere?
PS: I’ve been Tweeting the latest news about Gackt, Dir en Grey and Kanon Wakeshima. Please add me on Twitter to stay in the loop (I follow back all legit accounts).
Japanese Word of the Day: Shuyouna = Main
Song of the Day: VII Sense – Black Bird (A mighty promising Visual Kei band that Yukiro and Amiyu introduced me to. Juka from Moi dix Mois is the singer.)
LA CARMINA
