COSPLAY MAKE-UP TRANSFORMATION.

An interesting video, on how to transform your look into the 'Sailor Moon' Japanese anime character. Their emotional connection with make-up links to their yearning to look as similar to their favourite character as possible. 

~ Helena

VNV NATION ILLUSION.

I love this video, it is all about the illusion of perfection that society strive for, yet people need to realise that this is not reality. They should celebrate everybody's differences. An emotional one.

~ Helena

20 JAN 2011 AT THE BARBICAN!!

This could be interesting...might have to check this out...
http://www.barbican.org.uk/artgallery/event-detail.asp?ID=11302

.Anna.

FUTURE BEAUTY 30 YEARS OF JAPANESE FASHION AT THE BARBICAN

Helena and I visited this exhibition back in November as part of our cultural research of Japan, in a fashion context. It was a really great exhibition and there were some amazing original pieces on show from iconic Japanese deigners such a Issey Miyake of course & Yohji Yamamoto, Rei Kawakubo, Tao Kurihara...


"Japanese designers introduced revolutionary conceptual form and the language of deconstruction thereby changing international fashion forever" -Barbican, 2010
So far through our research I think we have discovered that Japanese fashion and design is like no other, unique in its daring ways that other cultures just haven't captured. The beauty industry should follow suit...there is a definite gap in the market for innovation in cosmetics!!

.Anna.

BIG EYES

For many girls in Japan, they deisre the wide-eyed look depicted in anime cartoons tahe take inspiration from a western face. This larger eye shape can be achived through carefully applied make up that creates the illusion of a larger eye and also by wide contact lenses that are now widely available for anyone to purchase. Lady Gaga in the Bad Romance video wore some!

 

.Anna.

PINK AND GIRLY EVERYWHERE

Cuteness is at the heart of Japanese popular culture and Helena and I certainly noticed this in the form of cosmetic brands too. One example of this was at Jill Stuart, which was created by an American lady who has really tapped into the make up market over there selling Parisen-esque chic but very girly almost childlike in the way it is presented. Everything seems to scream girly pureness and innocence, and this appears to flow across a range of marketing ephemera from other brands, here I have just scanned in a few of them that also denote this girlish cuteness. In Japanese the word kawaii is used to explain the epitome of cute wihch is used almost like a compliment.

.Anna.

SHIBUYA 109 STORE

There are severeal 109 stores in Tokyo and Helena and I visted the one in Shibuya, it's a department store that sells mainly womens apparel but does have a mens floor. There is a definite look that goes with the 109 stores, based mainly on that 'tanned, over groomed and styled to the max' Ganguro guys and girls work in all of the mini-shop style concessions within the store. The customer experience is very interactive, with the sales assistants welcoming you to their shop and calling to you to come in even if you are just walking past.
I personally like this friendly atmosphere and the Japanese consumer seems to require a very high standard of customer service that appears to be consistent across all forms of retail environments.

.Anna.