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?
