I subscribe to Google News Alerts to keep track of articles about Goth Loli (anyone else do the same? ) Most of the time, the mentions are very general and not worth blogging about. Today's an exception: North Carolina news site WRAL.com posted a comprehensive write-up called Tokyo Lolita subculture thumbs nose at growing up. 80% of the information can be filed under "Lolita 101," but the remaining 20% consists of insightful quotes and nightlife photos (by David Guttenfelder of the Associated Press).
The talented musicians of Kokusyoku Sumire are profiled; the group is called by its English name, Black Pansy, but I think the correct translation is Black Violet. "People notice us - we stand out," reflects lead vocalist Sachi. "The pure, girl-like world inside of me, that is what Lolita is all about."
h.NAOTO designer Hirooka Naoto describes the appeal of kawaii chic: "I think many Japanese women feel intimidated by high fashion in the West and feel that they can never live up to the refined beauty that they feel Western women strive for. So, instead, they shoot for a cute look, one that doesn't require tall, curvaceous bodies and instead emphasizes girlishness."
"One of the salient points about Lolita is that it is really a fashion that is not intended to attract men," Naoto adds. "The women are creating their own world into which they can get away from the pressures of the larger society." As for the various subcategories of Lolita: "It is very ambiguous. Sometimes I'm not sure what qualifies."
The article ends by discussing the growing popularity of Gothic Lolita abroad. Baby, the Stars Shine Bright is preparing for a show in San Francisco, and h.NAOTO is testing the waters of Los Angeles. BTSSB co-founder Fumiko Isobe (and wife of Akinori Isobe, who was immortalized in Kamikaze Girls) comments: "I don't know if we can ever really hope to conquer foreign markets. But I think Gothic Lolita is the best example there is of the 'Tokyo look.' We are really on the edge."
You can read the rest of the article here. What are your thoughts on it?
Day Two of Interior Design Week continues with several modern takes on 18th century forms. These pieces are admittedly concept-heavy works of art rather than usable household goods. But the Rococo aesthetic is not exactly a grounded one, n'est-ce pas?
Exhibit A: Staffan Holm and Johannes Tjernberg's CEO desk. "We created the desk bound by the structural laws of LEGO-building bricks, combined this with the grace of the late Rococo furniture style and painted it glossy black to evoke feelings of exclusivity and power." Made of solid beech and painted with enamel, the desk is a study in contrasts: ancien curves and modern materials, innocent child and cut-throat executive. (Sure, you might find neo-Rococo forms at Ikea - but they're like empty vessels. It's the philosophy that we silly design addicts open our wallets for...)
Exhibit B: Smånsk's "Neo Rococo" side table and chest of drawers. The Stockholm designers simplified ornate details into their most basic forms: "We lowered the resolution and numbers of polygons in models of authentic rococo furniture." The result: modern, pixelated versions of period furniture.
Similarly, SalaD's Che mangino brioche table and floor lamp (above) "blend Rococo opulence with digital austerity." Joris Laarman's "Heatwave" is a radiator sculpted from ornate Rococo swirls of concrete. "Like all good designs, Heatwave scored high marks both for form and function: stylistically capturing the romantic mood of the moment, and conducting heat more efficiently than a conventional metal radiator."
Some of you asked for sources of inspiration; one of my favorite contemporary design/architecture sites is MoCoLoco. And keep checking La Carmina - many more neo-Rococo designs will be posted this week.
My architect father’s birthday is coming up, so let’s give him a little present. Last May, we celebrated Rococo Week. Now, I proclaim that this shall be Interior Design Week!
I grew up on my dad's photo books about modern home design. When I moved into my first real place (above), I turned it into a Zen Minimalist Loft. (Yup, that's a Verner Panton chair and meditation cushions.) These days, I lean more towards modern Marie Antoinette decor, or Neo Gothic Rococo...
...as epitomized above. Reader Elizabeth sent me these delightful visuals of Meg Matthews' old bedroom (she's the ex-wife of Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher). Meg's got the dark royal aesthetic down to the black stand-alone clawfoot bathtub. Elizabeth writes: "Oh how I wish I could find all of the elements to create a room like hers..."
Ah, that's what Interior Design Week is all about! Elizabeth starts us off with a link to Meg Matthew's "Rock and Skull" limited wallpaper design by Wonder Walls. Be still, my beating heart... The interlocking skulls (bottom right) come in a variety of colours and shades, but hopefully your walls aren't too high: each square meter will put you back £75.
Let me point you in a more economical but equally Gothic direction. When I visited Berlin last year, I flipped for a furniture/fashion/design store called DOM. Designer Christian Koban's vision can be described as "mod meets Edward Gorey"; I bought a spired black umbrella and promptly lost it. DOM has several German locations, as well as stores in Paris and Amsterdam. Too bad the website doesn't have better images of his home furnishings.
A number of modern interior design companies have taken inspiration from the Baroque. Horchow's mirrors (A, B, C above) feature deep carved patterns and ornate scrolls cast in resin and hand-finished in glossy lacquer. (Available online for $400.) Maisons du Monde's hand-carved Barocco headboard is upholstered with button-tufted velvet (500 euros online). Even the tightest budget can accommodate Growing Veip's Baroque Coat of Arms picture frame, a wicked pink delight that sells for $26.
I love 18th century design but I have a phobia of antique furniture (don't judge! Billy Bob Thorton suffers from the same affliction.) That's why I'm always glad to see Baroque forms re-cast in modern materials. Holland-based Studio JSPR sources unique antique pieces, restores them, and then seals them with a rubber-based coating. (Reminds me of Maarten Baas' burnt furniture, which I wrote about). The Plastic Fantastic range is designed to resist all weather conditions, and can even be used as garden furniture; most pieces are over a thousand dollars.
Finally, let's brighten up our morbid lairs with these stunning Neo-Baroque chandeliers. The Anastacha Lamp by Terzani (left) is designed around a brushed nickel bulb flanked by black or white plexiglass diffusers. Unica Home, one of my favorite modern design retail sites, sells it as a suspended lamp or wall sconce ($1200-5000). Atelier Abigailahern's ghostly chandelier (right) casts a flickering low light and holds either taper candles or t-lights (£1,300 online).
What would you put in your dream house? Wait til you see the Neo-Rococo furniture pieces that I'll post tomorrow!
CARMINA: What's the term for people who love big words?
RONAN: Umm... pretentious?
Or how about fustian? I like big words, I do. They compensate for my… well, let’s not go there. At least I'm not alone: Goths are known for their labyrinthine scene/online monickers (D'Elormie, Sanguinaria, you get the idea). Visual Kei bands are as guilty of appropriating Latin and French words (Dué le Quartz and Psycho le Cému, anyone? )
Reader Emily suggested a post on Ipso Facto, so let’s make that our mot du jour. Behold three definitions, all of which are Gothic...
a) The Latin phrase means "by the very act," or automatically. In other words, an effect is the direct consequence of the action in question, and not a subsequent one; "Faustus had signed his life away, and was, ipso facto, incapable of repentance." (Marlowe, The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus)
b) Ipso Facto also refers to a British all-female band (which is what Emily really meant). They're known for their mod Goth outfits and for rocking out with The Horrors. In the words of Drowned in Sound: "Everything is taut black and white; guitars sound like they’re being played through straitjackets, the organ lines like slowly snapping ice." Check out some of their tracks on MySpace.
c) Finally, there's an online Goth store that goes by the same name. Ipso Facto sells casual Western Goth clothing, footwear, and accessories; most items are under $100. My personal style doesn't usually run in this direction - I prefer Victorian/Rococo/Gothloli/J-punk - but I had fun browsing the categories and putting together a "sample outfit" (above). I began with an Emily the Strange creepy bones camisole/panty set ($24.50). I liked the short, black twill dress with an embroidered skull pocket by Attempt ($97.50). Boots are a must; I picked tall Torment ones with metal plates and buckles ($99.50). Alchemy's English pewter razorblade ring ($29.50) and Tripp's chain handcuff bondage straps ($17.50) also caught my eye.
I leave you with a Wikipedia article about the longest words in English. What are some of your favorite oroduntidities?
You know I’m a fan of Count Dracula types, so for my next T-shirt demolition, I turned to Sesame Street's arithmomanic aristocrat. I stumbled upon this $20 tee on AllPosters. The front showcases Count von Count, and the back reads "One! Two! Three!" (Bwahahaha! )
The shirt only came in size XL (and now I believe it's sold out entirely). I could wear it as a nightgown, but that would put us all to sleep. Better to slash up The Count and stitch him back together, in the spirit of Japanese Goth/Punk streetwear.
I cut off the collar and split the T-shirt down the sides. To make the right shoulder strap, I sewed the left sleeve of the front to the left sleeve of the back (lying numbers-down on the floor). I then folded over the bottom of the front, and sewed it to the top of the back (where the collar used to be). Confusing, I know, but the next few pictures will clear things up.
Basically, I rotated the pieces 90 degrees and turned the sleeves into a shoulder strap. I pinned the front and back pieces together under my right armpit. Finally, I cut holes into the strap and shredded the bottom into strips of various lengths.
Here’s a pale, scrawny rear view. You can see where I hand-sewed the front and back of the shirt together.
I'm pleased with the transformation. I like how the prints are recognizable but less obvious, since they're off-center and flipped on their side.
Count von Count T-shirt:AllPosters (currently sold out) Skirt:Westmend Bracelet: Two long strings of pearls wrapped around my wrist Bead necklace: A gift from The Bay Spider tights: I don’t recall… I got them years ago and they're practically in pieces Shoes:John Fluevog
In case you missed it, check out The Song of the Count music video starring Basil Farrow! What/who should I tackle next - Count Chocula?
† Name/URL: Sandra aka Scarlet Sedusa † (German Lolita Community) † Age: 24 † Location: Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany (born Dutch though). † How were you introduced to Gothic Lolita fashion? It must've been 2001/2002, just before I moved to Germany. I had a part time job in a raver/cyber shop and whilst looking for new brands for our store I stumbled across the Fruits magazine and got hooked. On a holiday trip to Japan in 2003 I visited many stores, but the store clerks told me I was too big for the fashion so I was kinda scared off. But after seeing chubbier lolitas, I finally got my first item in 2005 and am still buying ;-)
† What do you find appealing about GL style and culture?
The doll-like yet creepy appearance of the Gothic Lolita style is still what attracts me the most. Also that you can look so beautiful and elegant without being sexy. In Lolita clothing I can have a normal conversation with a male human being without being rated for my looks, cleavage or bums. Since Lolita isn't sexy, they lose interest. Maybe they think I could be too kinky or the exact opposite?
I don't know if there is something like Gothic Lolita culture. I used to enjoy meet ups, but nowadays I prefer small meetings with my close friends because some Lolitas are just scary ^_^°
† What are your favorite GL clothing brands? Innocent World, Moi-Même-Moitié, Mary Magdalene. † Any other comments? Brand doesn't make you lolita! Hairstyling, make up, lovely accessories...that's what makes your outfit outstanding. You can buy expensive clothes, but you can't buy style!
And visit my site: http://dunkelsuess.de
If you would like to be the next Gothloli of the Week, please read the submission instructions here.
If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only take one book with you, what would it be? I’ve never been able to make up my mind… but now, I’m quite certain that my answer would be Revolution in Fashion, 1715-1815.
Momoko from Kamikaze Girls would vigorously assent. This book – or rather, Tome of Rococo Inspiration – is a collection of essays and images from a Kyoto museum exhibit. Page after page of Ancien Regime garments are clearly photographed and beautifully displayed. As one reviewer puts it, “it captures the experience of silently moving through the exhibition itself.”
Most of these items are from the Kyoto Costume Institute, and they’ve been marvelously preserved. The lady on the left wears a portrait of her Mozart-like lover over her heart.
This display needs no ornament to express the regal elegance of a masked ball. Even the undergarments convey the era's sumptuousness. (Oops, that’s my reverse manicured thumb in the corner…)
I recently saw Russian Ark and was captivated by the male court uniforms. Modern Gothic Aristocrats can find similar jackets from the Japanese brand Atelier Boz.
The satin sheen looks like something out of a Joshua Reynolds painting. The Kyoto exhibit opened its doors in 1990; I wonder if it made an impression on proto-Lolitas…
That’s… a… sailboat on top of a mile-high powdered wig! And hats loaded with feathers/fruit/flowers, and thirty pounds of floor-sweeping robes. What more can I say about my love for the campy kitschy Rococo? All hail an aesthetic that is cumbersome, frivolous, and mind-whirlingly awesome!
Revolution in Fashion, 1715-1815 (by Jean Starobinski and Phillipe Duboy) is out of print, and used copies start at $150 on Amazon. Never fear – I found the book in the library and took photos of the best images! I’ve posted them in a Flickr set, which you can also see below. Pass them along – I hope they’ll inspire you.
