Harajuku Fashion Editorial
A series of illustrations for a mock article about Harajuku fashion subcultures and the social statements behind them.
Yami Kawaii- Acknowledging mental health struggles.
Gyaru- Rebeling against the traditional idea of Japanese beauty.
Lolita- Embracing femininity in a non sexual way.
Decora- Creative Freedom and rejection of perfection.
Create a series of full colour illustrations for the article. One should be a representation of the article as a whole; this will be used at the top of the article. The next three should focus on showcasing the individual subcultures. The main illustration should be 4’’x6’’, the others should be 6’’x4’’.
The Brief
For the main illustration, I wanted to show how the subcultures are protesting against the status quo. They are refusing to stay quiet and do what everyone else is doing. I chose to draw two of the most recognizable subcultures of the community. Decora and Lolita. I chose to use a muted palette for the background characters to emphasize how the fashion stands out. I also had the women walking in a different direction than the crowd, so as to show their literal refusal to shrink their individuality. For the individual subculture illustrations, I looked at a lot of high-fashion magazine photoshoots. I wanted to hint towards the social statements that the subcultures represent. The most obvious it the one is for Yami Kawaii, with the models self harm scars being visible.
The Approach
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